From The Gatekeeper...

Cephas here, I hope you are doing well today. As things are getting up and running here on Conspiracy Of Kindness, I decided that it would be a pretty good idea to cover the bases with everyone about what we are trying to accomplish.

Blogging is a fairly new phenomenon, and for those who have never been around it before, it may seem a bit foreign. Perhaps you are wondering what the word "blog" means. Well, "blog" is sort of a contraction. It derived from the words "web log" which were eventually contracted into just "blog." A blog is really an interactive web site. Around the ones where there is a lot of audience participation (by way of comments) a real community tends to spring up. How much easier it should be to develop this community when many of the people reading are already in community at our church!

Blogs have a tendency to take on a personality of sorts. Some blogs are humorous, some can be quite acerbic, and some can be downright contentious! As the gatekeeper or editor of this blog it is my job to determine the personality of the blog and to maintain that personality by editing comments and posts and by soliciting and writing posts that will contribute to that personality.

My intention is for this blog to radiate kindness - just like the title suggests. I intend for it to be a forum where the members of our church can come to share the things that God has been teaching them through their time in the Word, their time in prayer, their times of fellowship with each other, and their time in the laboratory of life. It is a place where we can report on and chronicle our efforts to reach out to Rowan County and where we can come for encouragement and information and perspective. The whole point is edification.

To this end here are some rules that will govern all posts and comments on this blog:

1.) This is not a forum for arguing. Debate is OK - to a point. There is a fine line between arguing and debating, and I will determine that line. Just remember that any dialogue in this forum must be done in love, "seasoned as with salt," as the Bible would say it.

2.) 99.999% of the time all correction of individuals should be done offline (i.e. not on the blog). In cases of debate it would be allowable to show scriptural evidence (up to 2 or 3 examples) that support your perspective. But remember, this isn't a contest. Correction should be rare and it MUST BE DONE GENTLY IN LOVE.

3.) This isn't a forum for pointing out the errors (or perceived errors) in other ministries, pastors, teachers, evangelists, Christian literature, brothers or sisters. We're not in the stone-throwing business.

4.) It is OK to be transparent here, but remember that this is a public blog. Most of the people reading it will be from our church, but there may very well be people from all over the world reading. If you don't want anyone (or everyone) to know about it then don't publish it here.

5.) This isn't a place for us to try to fix each other. Don't write a preachy post (or comment) about someone who is bugging you. This blog is about unity, friendship, and kindness. The biblical model if you have a problem with someone is to first go to them one on one and discuss it. If you can't get a resolution you take someone else with you. If that doesn't resolve it, then the church gets involved. It shouldn't be played out here in the blog for the world to see.

6.) I think that it is reasonable to have a policy of no profanity and no bedroom talk here. I really probably didn't need to say it, but better safe than sorry.

7.) This is ABSOLUTELY NOT a forum for gossip.

8.) This forum should not be used to speak of any ruling authority (or even a candidate) in a derogatory fashion. Information can be shared about stances that candidates have taken or policies that a leader is pursuing, but no rhetoric here. This isn't a place for Democrat versus Republican or right versus left debate.

9.) This is not a forum for church business.

10.) This is not a forum to criticize.

I'm sure that these are rules that we can all live with, and I am sure that you understand why I have put each of them in place. If I find a comment or a post that violates these rules, I will either delete it or edit it. I am confident that I won't have any problem.

I want you to each use and enjoy the blog. So far the posts have been very edifying, and I expect that to continue. For those of you who haven't blogged before, the real fun and the real community comes when you begin to comment on the posts and comment on each others' comments. It's a lot of fun! I think that you will find it a great venue for ministering to each other, getting a deeper understanding of each other, and perhaps even being challenged in your walk with the Lord. If you contribute posts it is a great way to share what God is teaching you and a great way to express yourself.

If you are interested in posting either ask Jonathan at church, call him, or send him an email. If you have any questions about how it all works, you can do the same too. He'll be glad to help.

Happy blogging!