Okay, so vanity has taken over. Either that or I'm really competitive. I'll side with the competitive angle. A little competition is good, right? Some might see this and think that it's a little much, but hey, this is a tiny blog compared to some of the monster Baptist blogs out there. I need all the help I can get!
So, here's the deal: Tony Kummer at SBC Voices set up a competition last week. He tracks all the blogs of Southern Baptists (over 314 to date) and he decided to do a tournament ala the NCAA basketball's March Madness. He put 68 teams, er, blogs in the tournament and divided it up into four regions for people to vote on who they thought had the most influential blog in SBC life. You can see the initial contest HERE. I was pretty surprised to be selected as one of the 68 blogs to make the big dance. I was a #12 seed in the South Region. I was even more surprised (shocked, really) to make it to the next round - the Sweet Sixteen. So, basically, this is quite the Cinderella story.
Davidson went down today and I have a very strong feeling that I won't make it to the next round either. Tony changed up the rules a little (can he do that? - um, I guess he can since it's his contest) and says, "For this session I want you to consider the helpfulness of each blog, especially when they write about SBC related issues." Oh no! I'm doomed! I don't really write about SBC related issues here anymore, at least in the direct sense. I knew I quit too early! He is even offering a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com for the winner. Those who love me know that if anything would motivate me . . . well, I better not get into to that.
So, even though I don't write about SBC related issues here at Downshoredrift, I figure that the stuff I write about (ministry, church life, spiritual formation, where God is working in the world around us, missions, my family, book reviews, changing culture, the Kingdom of God, etc.) SHOULD be what we are talking about in the SBC instead of petty politics (except for maybe my family - the SBC doesn't have to talk about my family, except for my kids. They are pretty cool). So, to parrot Barak Obama, a vote for Downshoredrift means a vote for CHANGE! That's right! Let's change the tone of the SBC! What better way than to put Downshoredrift in the Final Four!
Too much? Sorry. My friend Micah Fries is trying to get people to vote for him so I thought I'd do the same. Go over to SBCVoices and go down to the South Region and vote for Downshoredrift, if you would be so kind. Remember, a vote for Downshoredrift is a vote for the little guy, the underdog, the common man! It's a vote for change! Send Cinderella to the Final Four!
Yeah, I got carried away. Oh well! It's all in fun. :)
My vote for the guy who made me aware of "The Divine Conspiracy" (finishing chapter 3 now and driving friends nuts because I keep telling them about it).
Greetings from an even tinier blogger.
Posted by: Antje | March 31, 2008 at 01:58 AM
Thanks Antje! The chapter 4 review WILL be up later this week so keep reading. I'm still working on it and am really enjoying the book as well. Things got a little busy around here lately . . .
Posted by: Alan Cross | March 31, 2008 at 07:08 AM
Alan-
Glad to see you jumping in the fray. :-) I have no problem shamelessly plugging my blog, especially when a $50 gift certificate is hanging in the balance.
Like you my blog has been fairly devoid of SBC issues, but let's hope that most people vote on us based on past data more than what we're currently doing.
Posted by: Micah Fries | March 31, 2008 at 07:40 AM
Change and Hope, Alan, Change and Hope.
Posted by: Jeff Moody | March 31, 2008 at 04:15 PM
You got my vote :) Good luck.
Posted by: Bernard Shuford | April 02, 2008 at 07:41 AM