Another Meeting of Blogging Buddies
’m a relational kind of guy. Blogging is fun, but invariably, when I get to know someone online, I find myself wanting to meet them in person. Back in December, I wrote about meeting my good blogging buddy Gordon Cloud in person.
Today, I had the opportunity to meet one of my other blogging friends, Tony Sisk. I’ve been wanting to meet Tony for a while now, and we decided to make it happen today.
Tony and I live about 4 hours apart, so we chose a spot pretty much right in the middle: Greensboro, NC. It was a good excuse to get to a Starbucks, too, since neither of us have one anywhere close to where we live! 
Our meeting in person was a tremendous blessing to me, and I’m so glad that we finally got a chance to meet. Tony and I have been reading each others’ blogs for quite a few months now, and have had some really good discussions over the time we’ve interacted. We have differences of opinion in some areas (who doesn’t disagree with me in some area?! hehe), but as we affirmed in our conversation today, when it all gets boiled down, we’re on the same team, and we’re partners in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I really like that about so many of my readers. Especially those who differ with me in areas of ecclesiology. We can talk about differences in models until we’re blue in the face, but ultimately, we’re seeking and desiring the same things: unity in the body of Christ, and to see people grow and mature in their relationship with Christ.
Tony, thank you for taking the time to meet me today. I was blessed, brother, and I hope it was a blessing for you, too.
I look forward to meeting more of you as the Lord provides opportunities. Some of you, I’ll be meeting this coming weekend at the SEBTS conference. The rest of you, I hope to get the chance to sit down in person and fellowship this side of eternity.
Until next time,
steve 
April 9th, 2007 22:53
Steve,
That ‘blue-in-the-face’ feeling you mention is why I don’t post as much. My ego feels the need to be right, and like many topics, I am finding humbleness is proving to be the harder but wiser path. But that is beside the point. And I did take your last comment with a laugh.
I just wanted to say, it is good to connect in person with others whom we talk to distantly. I wonder if the first believers felt the same way when, after reading letters written by this guy named Paul, he actually shows up.
Mike
April 9th, 2007 22:57
Mike, that’s a great question about the early church. I know Paul expressed often his desire to fellowship in person with the recipients of his letters. I think I can feel a little bit of what he must have felt.
April 9th, 2007 23:33
Steve,
Next time you’re headed out to California, let me know! I’ll do the same if I get back to NC.
I must say, though I’ve omly been at this a short while, I already feel a kindred spirit growing. I can recognise many of the names now and am beginning to understand, maybe even anticipate the various responses. I look forward with anticipation to what new posting or comments I may find.
My our Lord bless you,
-marty
April 9th, 2007 23:35
marty, I’ve never been to Cali. It would be nice to get to visit out there.
Glad to have you around as a frequent commenter. If you ever start blogging, let me know so I can read your stuff, too.
April 10th, 2007 00:14
Hmmmm,
Another hint! Actually I was “exploring around on the WordPress site today. Not sure where to begin, or if I’m ready…
-marty
April 10th, 2007 00:18
marty, nah. no pressure
I’ll offer this to you, though, and anyone else who comments here who doesn’t have a blog of their own:
If you ever have something burning in you that you want to write and share, I’ll be more than happy to consider posting it here on my blog with credit to you as a “guest blogger”.
OK, it’s late here in the eastern part of the country. I’m heading to bed!
April 10th, 2007 02:02
I hope you will be blogging about the conference on Mark! I’m very interested in hearing about that.
April 10th, 2007 02:29
Marty,
It has been a slow process for me as well getting into the world of blogging. I think we all have something worth saying as we all come from different points of view. This is one of the places that it is safe to s.
Steve,
As I travel for my job, a week feels like a month at times and be quite lonely. Couple that with the fact that the simple church idea in our area has withered, I appreciate and relish true community with other Christians when I am able.
Those of us still gathering together on a very infrequent basis have felt God’s hand directing everything and are excited to see what is going to be rebuilt by him and not us.
Still it gets lonely, hence my late night posting.
April 10th, 2007 06:22
Steve -
How neat … thanks for sharing.
You said, “but ultimately, we’re seeking and desiring the same things: unity in the body of Christ, and to see people grow and mature in their relationship with Christ.” … true!
I SO wish we were going to be able to come up this weekend, but it is what it is :P. Hopefully you’ll get to write a post about Brandon and me soon
… Blessings!
~Heather
April 10th, 2007 07:55
Steve,
Thanks so much. It was great to get to meet and talk with you. Thanks for the white chocolate mocha, uhhh…decaf…I think…I was still buzzing when I got home!
God bless you brother and I am glad we are on the same team.
April 10th, 2007 09:55
Wow, you guys were only about 15 minutes from where I work.
It’s always nice to get together with folks you’ve only known online. I’ll be traveling to OK this summer to that very end.
April 10th, 2007 10:00
Sounds like fun, and I love white chocolate moccha.
April 10th, 2007 10:47
When you stop to see Marty in California, come to our neck of the woods. We have Starbucks and In-N-Outs.
April 10th, 2007 11:36
So… Tony and Gordon… I’m meeting Steve in a few days. Is there anything I should know? Should I keep a bodyguard nearby? Have the police beefed up in the area? Keep my tazer and mace handy?
Seriously, several of us are looking forward to meeting Steve and Christy and having an opportunity to share fellowship in person with them.
-Alan
April 10th, 2007 12:03
Tony and Gordon, how much do I need to pay you guys not to answer Alan’s question?
April 10th, 2007 12:06
Bryan, I’ll try to post some thoughts about the conference. Not sure if I’ll be able to do that while I’m there or if I’ll just blog when we get back.
April 10th, 2007 12:07
Mike, I understand your situation with regard to church. It’s been slow-going here, and we’ve had to “start over” a couple of times.
Hang in there, brother.
April 10th, 2007 12:11
Heather, I hope I can write that post soon, too. If your schedules weren’t so different from ours…
April 10th, 2007 12:12
Scott, sorry we didn’t know that. Come to SEBTS this weekend and join up with us there!
April 10th, 2007 12:13
Gordon, it would be great if you and Tony and I (and others) could all get together sometime. Are y’all still hoping to come up in the fall?
April 10th, 2007 12:14
Larry, I’m not familiar with In-and-Out. Is that some kind of fast food restaurant? Are you in California? For some reason, I was thinking you were somewhere else in the country…
April 10th, 2007 13:04
Steve -
Doesn’t that just sound so prideful “… hopefully you’ll be able to write a post about Brandon and me”???
… I thought about how that sounded after the fact, but oh well … you knew what I meant 
~Heather
April 10th, 2007 13:10
Alan,
All you will need is a gentle spirit, open heart, and a listening ear. I worry that there will be enough Steve to go around!!!
Oh, and Steve, I’d be all for a picnic-covered dish-koinonia-bloggers convention-get together -kind of thing sometime. I’ll bring the baked beans. Anybody else game?
April 10th, 2007 13:14
Tony, that’s a terrific idea! I have a meeting in about 45 minutes to find out what my summer theater schedule is going to be like. Maybe when I find that out, I’ll propose some possible dates and we can see what would work out with everyone who’s interested.
April 10th, 2007 13:15
For the record…Alan, if you need to know anything about Steve, all you have to do is ask
Just point him to the nearest Starbucks and all is well!
Actually, you will find Steve to be as gentle in person as he is here on his blog.
We are both looking forward to seeing you in few days!
April 10th, 2007 16:38
Alan, just keep plenty of coffee and/or sweet tea and a Bible handy.
Steve, we haven’t firmed up the dates yet, but we are still hoping to be up that way in the fall. We are probably looking at some time in October.
April 10th, 2007 17:02
I think we’re okay… we have two Starbucks nearby. I’ll make sure that they are fully stocked by Friday and Saturday. There are also a few local coffee houses… I should probably contact them just in case.
April 10th, 2007 17:05
Steve,
I live between San Diego and LA in an area called the Temecula Valley.
In-N-Out’s are well known California Burger joints. As Yogi Berra said about a famous restaurant, “Nobody goes there anymore because they are too busy.” This is true of In-N-Out’s.
April 10th, 2007 20:38
Tony -
I’m up for that convention as well … count us in - We’ll bring dessert
~Heather
April 11th, 2007 08:01
Steve,
I made the remark a while back towards the end of a long post on here that if I kept it up, I might have to get my own blog. I am thinking seriously about it. I’ve always been inclined to write, but for years the “cares of the world” have kept me too busy to write something substantial, re-edit it, polish it up, and find some outlet to publish it. But now our homeschooling days are over, the last of our 3 kids is getting ready to move out, and other things are opening up a bit. I don’t have a ton of free time, but I am able to spend a bit of time online in the early morning and late evening. I have a title for the blog–Postmodern Redneck–I googled the expression and while the phrase turned up in a few places, nobody showed up using it for a title–closest thing was a blog called Erudite Redneck. (I figured out a few years ago from articles I found on Sites Unseen that I’m part of the 1/3 of Baby Boomers who are postmodern, and my redneck bona fides are substantial) I don’t have much money to throw at it, but it doesn’t seem to take much. I do need to get a bit more computer literate–I have trouble making links that work, let alone trying to write any code. When I get it up and running, I’ll let you know. Any suggestions you and your friends have will be appreciated. And if I am ever going to be in your end of NC, maybe we can get together.
Phil Hawkins
April 11th, 2007 22:51
phil hawkins, if I can be of any assistance, let me know. I like helping other bloggers get up and running.