:: In.a.Mirror.Dimly ::

We’re moving this week, and I’m giving my full attention this week to the process of getting ourselves packed up and out of Connecticut. I’ll be keeping a light presence on the blog and on social media, and I thought this would be a perfect time to talk about the ways my blogging and blog reading habits have changed so that I can recommend some sites to read this week.

I started blogging right after finishing seminary in 2004. A close friend set up the site originally as a place where we could both write about the things we were learning about God, and I took to it like a lifeline at a time when I was leaving certain trappings of my conservative roots behind in search of the essential elements that defined what it means to be an evangelical Christian.

Unpacking that last sentence would take writing a book. That being said, I began blogging about Christianity and culture.

Just like 5,000 other white guys going through seminary or Christian college.

I don’t think I had too many unique things to say since we were all reading the same books and the same blogs, but I needed this blog to help me process stuff for 3-4 years until I had my head on straight—or straightish.

I’m really grateful for my time in seminary because I learned how to think critically but with a level head. I wanted to write about the ways theology impacts us in everyday life, but in the course of attending seminary and reading gobs of academic books, I think I forgot how to write for the average Christian. It’s something I’ve been working on remedying since 2008 when I began writing the manuscript for Coffeehouse Theology.

Before I published Coffeehouse Theology, I read the blogs of mostly white male theologians, with a few exceptions. At a certain point I felt like I was living in an echo chamber, and I needed to branch out a bit to some folks who wrote for a more general Christian audience without necessarily writing about the ways my family sorted out intensely personal conflict or tapping out pseudo poetic reminiscences of shopping at Whole Foods.

As I searched for writers who were grounded in both theology and in daily life, my reading list of blogs became increasingly female, and even a tad more culturally diverse, though I still need to work on that. I still read a few theology blogs, and I love me a good Homebrewed Christianity podcast, but as I move toward figuring out following Jesus, joining the mission of God, and living in God’s Kingdom each day, I crave to read posts by folks who are applying these things to their work, their family, their daily financial decisions, and the people they serve.

I have been steadily adding new names to my blogroll on this site so that it reflects what I’m actually reading these days, though I will be adding some others in the near future. That being said, have a look at the following blogs this week, and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Halfway to Normal by Kristen Tennant: She deftly writes about her daily life without making you feel like a voyeur, while packing in some hefty theological punch. Her blog may well be the best kept secret among Christian blogs, though she has a strong following of loyal readers.

Rachel Held Evans: There are few other writers today who have a better grasp of the left end of evangelicalism than Rachel—though she appeals to a broad group of readers. Her post titles alone make me wish I’d thought of them.

Tamara Out Loud: Consistently one of the funniest and smartest blogs I read. Her post about the pole-dancing turtle is among my favorite blog posts of all time.

Black Coffee Reflections by Tim Ghali: Lots of future pastors dig into theology at seminary and then struggle to thrive in the day to day realities of youth ministry. Tim strikes me as the kind of level-headed, honest, and generous youth pastor everyone would like to have.

Jamie the Very Worst Missionary: I probably didn’t need to list this blog because it’s taking off big time, but I can’t resist listing it because Jamie lays her heart right out there. This blog digs into the daily realities of following Jesus, while still being the person God made her to be. Jamie shatters our narrow perceptions of who or what missionaries are, and reminds us that missionaries like a good innuendo just as much as the next guy—extra points if you can find the awesome post I’m referring to.

Students of Jesus by Ray Hollenbach: I’ve linked to Ray before, so I’ll just say that I appreciate the way he consistently keeps his readers pointed at Jesus. That is Christianity.

Faith Barista by Bonnie Gray: Bonnie is the master of writing succinct, yet powerful posts that somehow manage to tell complex stories and explore deep concepts in a matter of minutes.

Keep an eye on the scrolling blogroll in the right column for other great sites to read this week.