Missional Conversations with ... Bob Cornwall

Comment

Comment by Nick Larson on November 18, 2011 at 9:20am

I hear you Brian, but I also am not sure I agree. Sure timing is different than that treasured publication that you would come less frequent.

For me they are different in that instead of one article from one point of view you have meme-type atmosphere with blogging where a theme makes it way around a group of bloggers, where the idea is chewed on by the community rather than one author of a publication. 

But they are the same in that you build a set of readers based on what you publish and who hands it to you. The publications of the early S-C movement built it upon their ideas, not an inherent audience, just like blogging. It also seems to me that blogging more than any other form of communication today responds to the times. They are chewing on the pressing theological and religious issues of their time, just as blogging does today. I think bloggers are leading the church forward more and more, just like the S-C publishers started to transform the church in their day.

Comment by Brian Morse on November 18, 2011 at 6:15am

I don't think the bloggers can carry the same weight as the S-C publishers.  The reasons have less to do with quality than differences in technological advancement.  Imagine living in the frontier wilderness.  That monthly (?) periodical would be a God-send.  It would be re-read, shared, and discussed with others.  The nature of blogging is that it is fast and replaced with a new post the next day, or even hours later.  That said, the same spirit applies to today's bloggers IMO.  Now even the finest of blogs is merely one of many that we read quickly each day.

Comment by Nick Larson on November 17, 2011 at 11:59pm

I think that's absolutely true, Bob. I think bloggers do carry a lot of water. For me the social media has largely replaced the concept of a big tent church meeting. It's where ideas are shared, formed, and collaborated on.

Comment by Robert Cornwall on November 17, 2011 at 4:33pm

Brian and Nick, thank you for the comments.  

As to Nick's point about publishing.  You're right.  The journals of the early leaders did guide the agenda.  And, yes, I think the various blogs and similar venues are similar.  As a blogger who participates in the conversation, I wonder whether our voices carry similar weight as these earlier editors?  That might be worth thinking about!!

Comment by Nick Larson on November 17, 2011 at 3:47pm

Thanks both of you for the conversation! Another thing that Bob didn't really touch on but I think harkens back to the same idea as the early days of the stone-campbell movement is that the voices that were speaking did it largely through publishing. I look at blogs and other self started venues for this conversations as 21st century versions of that same concept.

It's certainly an interesting questions Bob raises at the end with saying is there too much of this that is personality driven? I'm going to go consider that some more...

Comment by Brian Morse on November 17, 2011 at 3:26pm

Do yourselves a favor and pour a cup of coffee/wine/sparkling water and watch this entire interview.

First statement - I've been looking forward to hearing Bob's vocal delivery and facial expressions.  So much humanity is lost on with words on a screen.  I've come to view him as a friend I want to hear from daily.  Do yourself a favor and visit his blog.  He is a gracious host allowing a wide range of views.  He is hospitable when one voices criticism as well.  

 

- The last 3 minutes or so hit on something very important.  How much of the success of the emergent/missional movement is d/t charismatic personalities? Our tradition started with charismatic leaders, especially Alexander Campbell.  It struggled mightily when he died.  By the time the 3rd generation came to power, the movement looked quite different.

 

- Bob's training as a historian is helpful when looking at the contemporary landscape.  He helps to keep things in perspective.  

 

- Lastly, he touched on something that concerns me in much emergent talk - agism.   A 90 year old who wants to sing Onward Christian Soldiers matters just as much as the 22 year old who wants whatever emergent folks listen to.  We must respect our elders.  It is only proper.  

Comment by Robert Cornwall on November 17, 2011 at 2:24pm

Thanks Steve for the opportunity to discuss the missional context!!