12 April, 2005 5:44 PM
All has been quiet here for the past few days - life continues to be busy. Let me give you a quick update.
LivingRoom - continues to bubble along. I am really enjoying the increased participation of others in leading the group this year having stepped out of a paid position with the group. Its exciting to see people exercising their gifts and following their passions. We have grown numerically this year and are thinking through how we will grow. In a few weeks time we will be discussing the possibility of starting a second and possibly even third group.
Home - since buying a new home which we will move into in a month's time life has been busy with all the logistics of mortgages, paperwork and the admin of moving. We're excited about the move but a bit daunted by the logistics of it all. It will be nice to move into a place that we shouldn't have to move out of for a while.
Research Project - I've taken on a part time position doing a research project for three of the denominations in our state. The project is to look into how the denominations might best support and encourage missional emerging churches. I'm really excited by the project and am enjoying the many interviews that I'm conducting with missional church practitioners but of course am feeling a little overwhelmed by the massiveness of the task at hand.
Business - My blogging business continues to grow in the spare time (LOL) that I have. I am still amazed that blogging has become a way to sustain what I do with LivingRoom and life in general. Its enabling me to give more time to different life giving projects as a volunteer and also in other ways which is really wonderful. I'm coaching a number of bloggers now from around the world to think about entrepreneurial blogging and am especially excited by the opportunities to work with a number of bloggers from third world countries who I've been able to join in helping them to find a way to help put food on the table of their families.
I'm really exploring at the moment how business can not only sustain me so that I can 'do ministry' but how business can be a life giving thing in itself. I am really excited by the way blogging has the potential to give a voice to those who are marginalised am working on a couple of projects which I really hope will explore this idea and give such people a way of being heard in some pretty needy places. I am hoping and praying that these approaches might actually make a significant difference in many people's lives. The possibilities are exciting and I'll share more as they come to be. I write about my blogging mainly these days over at ProBlogger for those of you who wondered why I don't write about blogging here any more..
So life is busy - its full - its stimulating - its tiring - its keeping me on my toes. I am wearing many hats but am amazed at the way in which they come together and that God is opening up ways to join him in what he's doing around me.
By the way I'm off to Sydney in the morning for a few days so if you're waiting on an email from me it could be a few days as net access could be limited.
Comments
Page:
I'm probably one of the many who have stumbled across your site after reading the interview where you talked about making six figures blogging. But I was surprised and delighted to see your personal blog and the spiritual issues it covers. Very cool.
I've been blogging for a long time, but I've never made much money at it. Most of the cash has come from writing blogs for other companies, which fits nicely with my full time freelance work. I'd love to get paid more blogging, so I'm diving into your ProBlogger site and seeing what I can learn.
Thanks for your willingness to share and spread the love of blogging.
Kevin » 13 April, 2005 6:57 AM
As a full-time (paid) minister I understand that there are times and seasons in life that we must step out of paid position for awhile.
However, I find it humorous, even a little sad, that the accusation that you've sold out comes only after finding out how much you make.
Could it be that if you make less than I do I can sympathize with you for stepping out of full-time ministry, but if you make more than I do you have compromised your calling and sold out to the enemy.
Mark » 13 April, 2005 7:29 AM
I agree with Mark. It doesn't matter how much you make, but that you don't fall for the temptation to make more by compromising your faith. The issue is to make sure you stay honest etc. And then what you do with the money, i.e. that you don't keep it all for yourself, but give back to God's work.
Swan » 13 April, 2005 11:18 AM
Daz sold out?
I don't think so
I don't care how much money he makes
it doesn't matter as long as he is following Jesus
and it is all between God and him anyway
¿johnman¿ » 14 April, 2005 12:40 AM
Switch on Roy, seriously. From my understanding Darren is getting paid for blogging so that he has more free time to do ministry. And I totally reckon blogging in itself is a form of ministry, I know I often find reading this and other blogs to be quite spiritually enriching, and if that isn't ministry then I don't know what is!
Digger » 15 April, 2005 2:01 PM
"From my understanding Darren is getting paid for blogging so that he has more free time to do ministry. And I totally reckon blogging in itself is a form of ministry"
That is my understanding. And I agree that blogging itself is a powerful pulpit from which much ministry will occur in the next few years.
Mark » 16 April, 2005 10:34 AM
I think you've sold out Darren. I just heard how much you earn from TallSkinnyKiwi and I'm shocked that you've given up ministry to go chasing the dollar. I'm very sad that you're no longer working for the Lord.
Roy » 12 April, 2005 10:00 PM