What does one write for one's first blog for Sydney Anglicans?  For someone who's more than a little self-conscious at the best of times it's been a difficult question to wrestle with; a question able to draw up the best and worst of character traits.

It's perhaps not that startling an admission that there's more than a hint of competitiveness driving the anxiety.

After Jeremy Halcrow kindly gathered together the list of most read articles of 2009 it's hard not to worry whether my words can make it into that most prestigious of almanacs. Though I readily admit that I'd settle for getting more hits than Jodie McNeill! (who’ll be sharing the Tuesday slot with me in 2010).

The problem is that popularity doesn't always promote wisdom and the most clicks may not translate into more godliness.

Anything that's public runs the risk of self-promotion, and blogging seems to be particularly fertile ground for indulging in vanity (all current or potential bloggers would do well to stop reading now and jump across to read Carl Trueman's thoughtful post at Reformation21 on this subject).

The alternative of course is to politely decline the gracious invitation from Anglican Media and leave this territory to those more able to resist the 'craving to be famous'.

Obviously I chose otherwise, clearly demonstrated by the fact that I'm sitting here typing away and have willingly supplied a photo (having searched for one that appears not too posed, neither too odd, but just right).

I'm reminded of the warning from Dietrich Bonhoeffer - not only to ask 'Is there anything more perilous than speaking God's Word to excess?', but also, 'who wants to be accountable for having been silent when he should have spoken?' (Life Together, ch 4).

Let’s talk

Here I am then. I'm new here in a formal sense, though I have chipped in with a response or two in the past.  If you're one of the three (!) followers of the Youthworks College faculty blog you'll have heard some of my ramblings already, along with those who get the Buzz e-newsletter from Youthworks.

To get us started then, here's a plea and a request. 

The plea is for you dear reader (or perhaps even readers should there be at least two of you) to say a prayer for all those who share their thoughts in this public space - that we'd humbly take up the task asked of us, thinking of ourselves less than we may otherwise be tempted to do.

Pray that we'd be given some insight from the King about what we might write so that these words might spark some interesting ideas and engaging conversations.  Ask our Father that by His grace our conferring together might make us more ready to live this life that has been won for us with all the gusto and joy that trusting Jesus can bring.  And ultimately that whatever time we've spent here in front of our computer screens would have been a worthy investment of time because of the way it has stimulated us to greater action in the world out there - whether it might be more fervent prayer, more contented satisfaction, more generous praise, more loving concern, more vibrant service, more resolute joy, or more patient hope. 

And the request: Would you give me some suggestions of things you would like to discuss. Perhaps in relation to my area of expertise: ministry to emerging adults, youth, and families? What gaps do you see in relation to this critical area of ministry?

I'm a middle-aged male who's lived all his life as a member of God's new covenant people in the part of the family who call themselves Anglican; one of the 78% who made an active commitment to Jesus before the age of 20, now married with three children all at primary school; an ordained Anglican presbyter, principal of a Bible College training people to share Jesus with children, youth and families who prays the collects and tries to teach youth ministers to use the prayer book; a runner, reader of books, watcher of movies, fan of the West Wing and Arrested Development, listener of 702, Charlie Hall and Bach's Mass in B Minor; a twitterer, facebooker and (now) sydneyanglicans blogger. 

I'm looking forward to saying hello.