“A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.” Truman Capote link
An icon which represents a broken or disjointed conversation or thread.(Wikicommons)
Why TWW will now post on Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Do you ever get tired of listening to yourself? I know I do. I was aware that I thought about things a bit differently than many people I encountered in churches. Was it the rolling of the eyes that clued me in? I was either too liberal, too conservative, too boring, too intellectual, too irrelevant or too irreverent for others. I often wondered if there were others who thought like I did.
Then I met Deb. When Deb and I started this blog, we knew wanted to do things a bit differently. Unlike some of our celebrity leaders who seem to enjoy pontificating on blogs without feedback, we actually craved a conversation. The Christian community is a living organism in which we learn from one another.
Unfortunately, there are far too many preachers who listen way too little out in blog land. The world is what they say it is and they do not want to hear from anyone who disagrees with them. Frankly, on the blogs which allow for comments, in which all comments are in agreement with the author, we have evidence that the author deals in self-deception which probably also indicates what goes on in his church or seminary.
The two of us love to dialog about controversial topics. Unlike some websites, we have viewed our blog posts as a springboard for discussion and not an end unto themselves. Both of us also already know what we think. We talked for years before starting this enterprise. We wanted to know what everybody else thinks, even if they think we are just two yahoos from North Carolina.
Our greatest joy, along with a sense of fulfilled purpose, occurs when we are engaging in the conversation with our readers. Take, for example, a great comment by Anon 1 yesterday.
Dee, would you say the Puritans were more like the Neo Cals today in method and doctrinal beliefs?
Wow! I had never thought about this angle before. So, I took a stab at it and realize that I have miles to go to plumb my thoughts on this matter. But I had so much fun thinking about the question.
I am not sure. They definitely had control problems. The problem with the Puritans is that it is all tied up in settling the Americas and the age that they were in.
I wonder if the control was their way of coping with a strange new world that they could not control to their satisfaction. What I mean is this. OK, the winter was a lot colder than England, there were hurricanes leading up to the winter, and the Natives were none too excited about their presence. So, what better way to take control than to have all sorts of rules and doctrines to which everyone adhered?
Also, I think the idea of of a monarchy, with some people born to be kings, featured into the development of a strongly authoritarian culture. Look at Calvin’s reign. He was not dissimilar to some minor monarch in his approach.
In fact, the more I think about your question, the more I realize that it is a miracle that our Founders were able to create a republic that was not based in authoritarian rule but in the will of the people.
I think that monarchy and rulers die hard.
Really liked your question. I will be chewing on that for weeks.
I am not saying my answer is correct. In fact, I look forward to pushback on the issue. Normally, I would spend some time reading on the matter and looking for lots of thoughts from about the internet. Deb and I love to read. I usually spend about 1 1/2 hours a day reading things from related websites and blogs.
But, we have a big problem. Our blog is too gosh darn busy. The problems are myriad and they are compounding.
- Many thoughtful comments
- Tons of emails
- Phone calls and messages
- People needing support
I am sure that this is no surprise to all of you. We have been talking about this for almost a year. Deb and I are feeling overwhelmed by the volume of input which leads to an increasing sense of failure as we seem to interact less and less with out readers. This leads us to feel disconnected with the ongoing conversations. Where do we jump in? How do we jump in when there have been dozens of great comments and sharing from the heart? More and more, we seem to miss heartfelt statements. This causes us to feel guilty and leads us to become increasingly anxious as we, rightly or wrongly, feel like we are letting people down.
We also have overlooked instances when conversations turn sour or go on for too long and feelings get hurt unnecessarily. Frankly, in those circumstances, we could have done a much better job guiding the discussion in a more healthy direction. Thank you for bearing with us during those times.
We have tried to resolve this issue by getting some help but this blog is an amalgamation of who we are and it is difficult for others to understand our particular way of viewing things. In other words, Deb and I are a bit peculiar.
Finally, this weekend, I knew we needed to make a change. We both want this blog to be a shared conversation, not just one more talking head in a world full of talking heads. The two of us have agreed that the most important factor of this blog is you, our readers. Our posts merely serve as a springboard to the discussion at hand.
In other words, the comments, emails, phone calls and other aspects of the community are more valuable to us than our pontification. So, we have come up with a plan that we think might get us back on track.
1. We believe that we should be involved in the conversation under each post. Many of our readers share their lives and struggles and we want to be a part of that. Note the word "want." This is why we blog. We have come up with an arbitrary 30% participation rate per comment thread. So, for every 100 comments, we would like to comment back 30 times. This will give us some measurement of how we are doing and the number may change as we experiment with it.
2. We would like to answer all emails within 2 weeks and respond to phone calls within 1 week.
How do we do this?
Quite simply we have to make time. We have decided to cut down our posts to Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The E Church will NOT count as one of those posts. This will cut out one full comment thread per week and free up the time we would have spent, watching that thread. This will also add about another 5 hours per week that we would have spent in researching and posting a new article. We are guestimating that we will free up 7 hours of time that will go a long way in relating to all of our wonderful readers.
We apologize if we have seemed distant. We were overwhelmed and didn't know what to do. We will try to catch up on all of our communication within the next month.
This week, we will post on Thursday and Friday and will start the new schedule next week. We look forward to reconnecting with all of you in the weeks to come. Thank you for being the best readers on the planet. May God bless the conversation to come!!
Sounds like a great plan! I love the way you ladies think.
@ Rob: Thanks. I just wish I thought more quickly so i didn’t get myself into messes.
Great post Dee! What a blessings you are in my life.
@ deb: Ditto, old girl!
The evolution of Wartburg.
We apologize if we have seemed distant. We were overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do.
Oh! I thought you were just busy with life stuff. Consequently I didn’t interpret it as distant, personally.
Thanks so much to both of you, Dee and Deb, for providing this venue.
Your plan sounds good to me!
Have you looked at monetizing the site? Or would you rather not have to answer to advertisers?
This is a good plan. I am sure I can find other things to do on the days when you are not posting. I have lots of things I have been neglecting while hanging out on the internet. I do really enjoy your posts and am so glad you are here.
It sounds good to me, too. Although I will miss you posting on the day you will no longer be posting. 🙂
Good plan! Anything that lets us talk to you guys more & makes sure you don’t burn out is more than welcome 🙂
formerly anonymous quoted Dee who wrote:
Planning a wedding was a much bigger undertaking than I ever imagined! My daughter was a beautiful bride, and she is now married to a wonderful Christian guy, so it was well worth the effort. Glad to have it behind me though!!! I'm looking forward to getting back to my normal life (if you can call it that). 🙂
Seneca wrote:
Where's the LIKE button? 🙂
Wise plan. It is good you have come up with a great plan. I often read without commenting. Thank you.
I am delighted to see that you have cast the vision to take the blog to a whole nuther level.
I will be making chocolate brownies tomorrow to celebrate. And probably a whole nuther apple and vanilla sponge as well, to go with the Thai beef curry I’m planning.
@ Nick Bulbeck:
Loved your comment! Could you add the recipes under our "Don't Get Mad, Cook!" section?
My hubby and I are going out to celebrate tonight. 🙂
Shary Hauber wrote:
Yo – that makes up for those of us who comment without reading. Keep it up!
(I’m not usually contentious, I just like the sight of my own voice.)
@ Deb:
Good heavens – I never knew that page existed. You learn something new every day. I’ll see what I can do (it’ll be tomorrow the noo, though – bedtime here).
I remember a few months ago one of you commenting about how overwhelmed you felt with all the blog traffic, email, and phone calls. I hope the new plan is successful.
@ Nick Bulbeck:
Sire
@ Bridget:
Ummm, skip that one.
@ Nick Bulbeck:
Sight of your voice 😉
@ O’Higgins:A couple of points on getting money for a blog. First, it would appear that we are doing this for the income, no matter how small the remuneration is. Secondly, one jumps into the business category which moves us from private citizens expressing our opinions to a business expressing an opinion. That raises further problems.
Instead, we are waiting to be invited to appear on the conference circuit…:)
Y’all are awesome. Even if I were not a Duke grad I’d say that. Promise. This looks to be a very good development and I wish you much success in keeping to your schedule and avoiding the temptation to post more often! 🙂
@ dee:
Hey, you were on the Drew Marshall show. That’s got to count for something.
Nick Bulbeck wrote:
Yes, well…Chocolate….
dee wrote:
Okay, pick your topics and we’ll make it happen. Email me.
This sounds like a great plan. I’m grateful for the time and effort y’all put into this space!
Shary Hauber wrote:
My sentiments too…..so appreciate this blog. Read daily, occasionally post.
@ Julie Anne: I have decided that my venue is NOT talk radio. I think better when I write.
What if some very important news breaks on a Tuesday or Thursday; say for example a very humble man is arrested?
I’ve always been amazed at how well you both have kept up with comments, now I will simply be more amazed and grateful for you and your blog.
Also
Wondering
If
Short
Posts will force you to reply more to keep up 30% response rate? 🙂
Yay!! Life’s too short to burn out.
@Nick – could you tell me the nearest airport to your house? I have no time to cook any more and all that food sounds so good!
@Dee and Deb – I think this is a good plan. I personally have valued the personal input and responses from both of you.
Dee/Deb –
I’m all for less posts and more interaction. Three posts is plenty in a week. Hopefully it will lead to some interesting conversations.
@ TW: You should know us enough. Breaking news always takes precedence.
@ Bridget: T
here was a time when we first started blogging that we posted FIVE times a week. Granted, some of the posts were on the short side. Then we scaled back to 4 times a week. Now that we've laid the groundwork, I also believe three posts a week will generate some good discussion.
@ TW: We love to post BREAKING NEWS stories any day of the week (which Dee just confirmed :-)).
Great comment!
TW wrote:
For you, we shall keep up.
TW wrote:
Do you have some inside info, or wishful thinking?
Note to TGC– TW is no doubt referring to yours truly. Any similarity to other humble apostles is strictly coincidental.
Pontificate!! Pontificate!!! Pontificate!!! None of us here have any problems watching two females pontificate!! Back to lurking in my mother's basement!! 😛
@ Dave A A: The intrepidly humble Apostle Dave.
I think that a twice a week posting schedule would be plenty – I know I could *never* keep up with all the comments and off-list stuff and don’t know how you and Deb have done it so far.
But I’m glad to hear that you’re taking this direction. I know the blog and the people who comment/contact you are very important to you, but you two need to be able to live your own lives, too. 🙂
@ Eagle: Eatin Cheetos, no doubt! 😉
so good to see you, Eagle – hope you’re doing well.
@ Eagle:
Great to hear from you Eagle! What color housecoat are you wearing? 🙂
I think of you often.
I always wondered how you two did it and was in awe….(I can’t even keep up with my familial emails! My hat is off to you two ladies….(what are you both going to do with the extra time???!) Thanks for not shutting the blog down…wouldn’t be able to do without my TWW fix!
@ Eagle: Someday, my friend, you will have quite the story to tell and lots of people will be listening!!
debbylynn wrote:
Spend a day with me and the awe factor will be gone!
@ dee:
Dee….before I go back to lurking I have this to say. My mother doesn’t have a basement so I had to dig one out. Man it was a lot of work! 😉 If you need me I’ll be at my parents house in California reading blogs in my underwear. Course I’m not 24…I’m in my 30’s, with a grad level degree in history just reading away wearing my robe!
http://spiritualtyranny.com/musing-in-my-underoos/
I wonder if I should post an address so members of SGM can send me underwear. Maybe an underwear drive perhaps?
I digress! 😛
As one who was an early reader and commenter, and as one who has recently had to give up keeping up with the comments on many posts due to the volume, which reflects the readership growth, I say AMEN. I do not know how you have been keeping up so far.
BTW, Dee, I sent you an email about an upcoming trip to your neck of the woods. Look forward to possibly an in person visit, even though we will be very busy and the visit will be short, about 60 hours!!!
Eagle,
It’s good to have you back. I hope the leg is better.
“In fact, the more I think about your question, the more I realize that it is a miracle that our Founders were able to create a republic that was not based in authoritarian rule but in the will of the people.”
I totally agree as one who is an avid reader of history. It boggles my mind it happened at all because it was an uphill battle. Not only overcoming the political aspect of historically being ruled and instead introducing self determination as the framework of laws but ditching the religious aspect of church state thinking. Freedom to seek God as conscious led or not.
I think you both do a great job, and, frankly, I have no idea how you do it. I certainly can’t keep up with it all. Coming from a very different time zone, I often find that, by the time I get round to looking, there’s been so much added to the conversation that I just feel overwhelmed even trying to read it through.
John wrote:
Posers maybe should leave the clever witticisms to the professionals. And for the unsuspecting readers always remember: “You will respect my authoritaaaayyyy!” It is mark of Immel authenticity.
Thank you for your labor of love – and your thoughtfulness to share this post and your thoughts with us.
“Pilfer It Good: Juz Get A Bigger Stick?”
hmmm…
Does this mean that Wartburg Watch will still try and talk da big daugs off da proverbial christian meat truck?
huh?
Or will they (da big daugs) continue to smack and pilfer the penitent, ahem! da pretty colored church smiley face, “piñata”?
Smack? Smack?
Krunnnnnnnnch!
“Further on up the road…”
(sadface)
S“㋡”py
—
How you keep up with this blog on top of everything else you do is impressive. I appreciate you two and the rest of the community.
The research alone necessary to produce most of your posts must be daunting! I can’t imagine the time involved! I hope you know how much you are both appreciated. Thank you!
In some small corner of Heaven there will be a group of TWW readers/commenters. And we’ll all be surprised at who we all are.
Thanks Deb/Dee, for all you do. It’s getting redundant, but I join in with those who are amazed you give so much time to this blog. It’s more than a full time job.
I read and infrequently comment, but just for perspective – imo, given the thought and research that goes into your posts, I was impressed you posted as frequently as you did and am impressed that you continue to post 3x/week. Give yourselves a break and I applaud your self care!
Arce wrote:
Frantically seeking the email and cannot find it. I have one from “he who has moved to this area” but I can’t find yours. Could you please resend? I would love to meet up with you.
@ John: Cheetos! You say nothing of Cheetos. Unless your have orange stained fingers, you are a fraud!
@ dee:
I did’t get the email either, but count me in! Another Cracker Barrel Summit…
Janey wrote:
A lovely thought…
Eagle wrote:
Eagle!! So good to see you!
Dee & Deb,
You two are gunslingers if their ever was.
Do ye ken?
Former CLC’er wrote:
Equidistant from Glasgow and Edinburgh. We can swap war stories about bouncing back from abusive church leaderships. Bring a bottle!
@ Muff Potter: Hmmm, we both have concealed weapon permits…
I have really enjoyed reading and participating at your blog. Thank you for allowing me to post here. 🙂
Please do take a break if you need one!
The headline, “It’s About You, Not Us”
Reminds me of Grumpy Cat’s Valentine’s (or I am breaking up with you) message:
Grumpy Cat Valentine’s Day message 😆
Daisy wrote:
I've been taking a break. That was part of the problem! Wedding planning almost took over my life! Glad it went well and that my life is finally getting back to normal. 🙂
“Unfortunately, there are far too many preachers who listen way too little out in blog land.”
If you had spent 5 – 8 years studying to give high quality Bible lectures and your whole source of income is based on enough people liking your lectures, you also would have little interest or skill in two-way communication on substantive issues, and even more so if you are on the wrong side of the truth. In 1979 I was a 20 year old sitting in homiletics class learning to be a Bible lecture and it hit me that the “habit of meeting” that saints are not to “forsake” is conversational – comprised of “spurring one another on to love and good works” and “encouraging one another”. It still took me 20 years to finally realize most of God’s people don’t want the hard work this involves either so my only option was to get out of the “sanctuary” and reinvent church life as the Bible calls for it, not as the church fathers set it up 1500+ years ago.
In response to Tim’s comment. Yes, living conversation. 🙂 So, I ask myself why I enjoy reading these blog posts and the comments from near and far. It is because it is ‘in the moment’ words and comments that are an active outworking of what folks believe in their hearts and minds.
It is like a living communal journal with so many contributors. The wisdom and life experience from one and all is quite astounding.
So Dee and Deb, bouquets going your way to keep up the good work, pace yourselves, and be bigger and better than ever! Love across the miles!
@ Barb Orlowski: We appreciate your kind comments!
I didn’t think that sounded like you, John, lol!!
John Immel wrote:
“Holy Of Holies: Hope Of The Whole World?”
Dee& Deb, For five years now, you both have brought us news of the nightmarish abusive world of neo-calvinism.
“Many thanks”, Wartburg.
*
THE LIGHT SHINING INTO THE DARKNESS?
hmmm…
The bible speaks of a God who loved us enough to rescue us from what awaits those with out Him.
He knows.
It has brought Him to tears many times.
In His agony, He asked His Son to come in flesh and die for us naked on a Roman cross, knowing that the very folk He was sent to redeem from their condition of separation from Him, that they would actually reject Him.
(tear)
The very best He had to offer was rejected by the folk He had called by His own Name.
huh?
On the day that His Son died, He rent the thick cloth separating the Holy of Holys from top to bottom to signify that at once that the penalty for sin had been paid, and that folk could freely enter the most holy place where the Almighty at that time, choose to dwell with His Folk.
As you may recall, there was an earthquake, and reports of some of the dead coming alive, the sun also being blackened.
The work of the Almighty was unmistakable on that day, in that very hour.
The Almighty had sacrificed what mattered most to Him. There were signs in the heavens, there were signs in the earth, There was a sign in the Temple. Yet still His folk, as a people, still would not believe.
What?
Yet, some did.
Later at what the bible calls Pentcost, the Lord Himself sent His own spirit to dwell in those who would beleive on His precious Son.
Many did.
When the Lord saw that He would not receive the fruit of His abundant labors, – that His own folk did not want what special gift He had to offer them, He had His Son call a religious man who was commissioned by officials of his nation to bring these so called cult followers of this Jesus, in chains back to Jerusalem. Some of which he is reported to have killed.
huh?
Yet, Jesus called this man in the most startling way. His came and spoke to Saul (later called Paul) on a dusty road one day. The appearance of which blinded him for several days.
Yet it was this man, whom Jesus called, who was the very murder of the very people He came to save.
(sadface)
This man, after many years, was called to take the news of what The Almighty had done to a people who never sought Him. The Gentiles, that was what the Israelites called them.
His very own people would not accept Him, so The Almighty took His light to the dark places of the world, by many an individual raised up by Jesus for that very purpose.
(Fast forward)
Many letters were written telling of these astonishing events, and great words of abundant hope.
Many folk listened, and believed.
These, kind folk, are the very words you have before you readily available in a collection of letters, and so forth that comprise what we call the bible.
You can read them for yourself at your leasure, – what this magnificent being has done for each of us.
He has chosen to scatter His seeds in the hope thst some will take root in the hearts of folk.
They have, They will, They shall.
“Be of good cheer”, Jesus said, “I have overcome the world…”
(smiley face goes here)
Blessings!
Sopy
—
“Sweet Prayer: Saving Faith, Healing Faith?”
hmmm…
It is time to call in the prayer troops.
What?
Kind folks let us broaden our use of the internet for the purposes of prayer. Let us call upon the prayers of more, and more of His wonderful saints!
Let us All phone home!
-snicker-
Certainly we shall noticed even more improvement, in Christ’s broken body, His church!
The darkness be swept away?
Sweet hour of prayer!
Let the church, God’s saved folk, be well on the road to recovery!
Sweet hour of prayer!
Let us thank God for the internet, and use it to call upon the prayers of our brothers and sisters and request their willingness to bear each others burdens.
Sweet hour of prayer?
God is so good.
He is indeed the great Healer.
He is indeed hears us when we pray!
Certainly He will meet us in our desperate hour!
Sweet hour of prayer!
Let us pray together, each and every issue, that our Lord would graciously provide His light, His love, His healing, and His much needed help, yes, in this very hour.
Our burdens very great, this hour?
Sure.
Sweet hour of prayer, Sweet hour of prayer!
Let us be found faithful in the hour of His visitation!
Cheeeeeeeeese!
Faithful is He who has call you, faithful is He who will bring it to pass!
If you at first don’t succeed, pray, pray, pray much harder!
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name, ask now that your joy be made full!” ~ Jesus
He is listening!
Quack! Quack!
(smiley face goes here)
Blessings!
Sopy
—
Hi Dee and Deb, I spent half an hour composing a message this morning on my phone…and then poof! I will try again on a real computer. I have been a (mostly silent) visitor to TWW for several months. I’ve noticed that the two of you maintain an amazing rapport with your visitors! And you juggle families and a private life! I am thankful for you and this blog. I have experienced great healing with my “friends” here and at e-church. I realize I’m in great company.
I want to share something with anyone lingering here at the end of this thread. As I have shared, I was excommunicated from a neo-Cal church 1.5 years ago (totally unrighteously and punitively) and they continue to publically commend it, since it is one of the 9 marks. I have been praying and waiting for direction. I have always felt that “moving quietly on with my life” would be cowardly in my case and equally unrighteous to the next victim.
I believe the Lord has led me here: I am following Matthew 18 as I believe the Lord intended it. I am seeking reconciliation actively with my former church. In doing so I am taking another believer (I have contacted several pastors at this point but so far none have committed to this step, but I believe at some point at least one will). I chose to have a pastor(s) or elder(s) accompany me because anyone in a lesser position would not engender any respect from my former leadership. If this effort is unfruitful, I will “take it to the church”, that is, I will make known to the Christian community (maybe even here) the details of my former leaders’ sins against me. If that step is fruitless I plan to treat them as unbelievers: I will pray for them, look for opportunities to bless them, and always be willing to reconcile (they are already forgiven). What I will not do is join another church (I am cultivating many Christian relationships outside of an organized church), flee in shame, or avoid anyone. By the way, God recently brought Graham Cooke to a venue near me and I have been so utterly blessed by learning about the kind heart of my Father.
I welcome your prayers and thoughts.
@ Janet:
Please know I will be praying for you. We would love to hear the outcome, perhaps via our private email.
Be strong!
I never thought of you as distant – I realised you were pretty busy ladies! I think this is a good way for you to go. Keep up the good work!