Category: Doctoral Studies

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Pondering, Passion, and Procrastination

It has almost been a month since I last blogged. It’s not that I have been off-line, but I think the title says it all. I have been pondering a lot. The Trinity, Divine community, educational technology, online learning environments, online community. Work, personal, and doctoral studies seem to be melding together into some sort of synergistic pondering. I will start on one subject that then shifts to a different topic linked together by a common thread. As I talk to people about what I am studying I am getting a lot of positive response from a variety of different people in a number of different fields. At times I wonder what I am doing or perhaps why I am doing it, but then I get encouragement from an unlikely source and I am reenergized to push forward.

That is the pondering and passion parts of the title, but what about procrastination? That is why there haven’t been any postings since the end of April. In part I haven’t made the time to post, in part I haven’t taken the time to refine my ponderings into some sort of coherent idea to post. As I think about it, this blog will continue to be my ponderings on God, life, doctoral studies, etc. and I will be starting a new blog at http://educationaltechnology-bethel.wetpaint.com to continue on in my work related ponderings. Some of my ponderings may be cross posted some certainly won’t.
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A thought about Community and Relationship from Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Although my Doctoral research was to focus more on Web 2.0 technology rather than content, God has stirred within me exploration of community and now relationship within community.

I was reading a devotional book filled with classic devotional thoughts and I came across this writing by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian who was killed due to his willingness to live out his beliefs and stand against Adolf Hitler. His best known book is probably The Cost of Discipleship.

The reading I was looking at was from another one of his books Life Together. In this book Bonhoeffer is exploring the ideas of community and faith. In one section Bonhoeffer writes “Therefore, the Christian needs another Christian who speaks God’s Word to him. He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth.” You see we as Christ-followers need one and other to come along side our brothers and sisters when they have stumbled to help pick them up, dust them off and set them on path again. We do that for other and we need to allow others to do that for us.

Are you in a community where you are willing to help, come along side someone who is struggling? Are you willing to allow others to lift you up? Bonhoeffer puts it this way, “The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain, his brother’s is sure.” Be the voice of Christ who can speak into the life of others.

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Thoughts on Community

I have reached a nice two week break from work with the Christmas holiday to celebrate. My thoughts will turn to a further study of 1 Peter and my doctoral studies. As the new year approaches I will be looking at the way to use different Web 2.0 technologies to engage people in the area of spiritual formation.

Part of this research will revolve around the idea of community in on the online or virtual world. I am currently conducting a research study to gather some data and thoughts about this think we call community. I would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to complete a survey on “community.” Just follow the link below to complete the survey. Thanks for your input into this study.

http://CTLSilhouette.wsu.edu/surveys/ZS86859