Methodist Blogger Profile: Gavin Richardson

Gavin Richardson of Hit the Back Button to Move Fwd

Why do you blog?
I started blogging because I thought had something to say. I found out pretty quickly I didn’t have as much to say as I thought & very few people actually cared to know as well. I believe Jonathon was the only one who cared. However, blogging has taken on a sense of a spiritual discipline for me where I process the happenings of my life, exciting or not. It’s nice to have people reading and contributing to the ramblings of my life, it’s like online discernment.

What has been your best blogging experience?
Two things come to mind but they are not single incidents. I’ve had a number of good laughs over the stuff written in my blog, generally when I write stuff before I think about it. I’ve some great relationships from blogging, meeting some fabulous people and gotten to know a few friends in a deeper way.

What would be your main advice to a novice blogger?
Be honest about who you are, what you are experiencing, what you are passionate about. Don’t be consumed with stirring the bee hives of the world or gaining readers. I think people see through that ‘agenda’ & after awhile and it gets tiring, those that came will eventually leave.

If you only had time to read three blogs a day, what would they be?
I’d probably say Jonathon (stphransus.blogspot.com), Jay (onlywonder.com) & my brother (shawn_richardson.typepad.com). These guys I know, and other than my brother who is in Iraq right now, I meet up with them all the time, so I might rethink this list later.

Who are your spiritual heroes?
Jesus, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, St. Benedict, Rev. Harlan Baxter (my pastor during my early spiritual formation)

What are you reading at the moment?
Currently reading, Postmodern Parish by Jim Kitchens, Practicing Congregation by Diana Butler Bass, volume 2 of Thomas Merton’s journal by TM, The Riches of Simplicity, stories of St. Francis by upperroom press, & carrying with me Exclusion & Embrace by Miroslav Volf

What is your favorite hymn and why?
Be Thou My Vision, hands down my fav.

Can you name a major moral, political, or intellectual issue on which you've changed your mind?
I know what my feelings are towards the homosexuality issue with regards to pastorship are, however I’ve been consistent to say that I wish those who are more wise than I to help me discern this as far as the church is concerned.

What philosophical thesis do you think is most important to combat?
“God is Dead” by nietzche. Being in youth ministry I get questions from my youth that they feel that God is dead (they don’t actually know of nietzche) but I feel it’s a feeling more and more people are feeling comfortable to finally say ‘this is my view of God, but I don’t want it to be.’ So I see part of my role as a minister in helping people relate to their God that is alive.

If you could affect one major change in the governing of your country, what would it be?
I’m pretty sick of the conservative Christian politic going on. I don’t think it reflects the view of the country, they are just the dogs with the loudest bark. I respect their voice, but it is getting out of hand.

If you could affect one major policy change in the United Methodist Church, what would it be?
I sometimes get frustrated by pastorship that forgets their role as a facilitator of the church’s ministry. (there actually might be policy for this but..) I wouldn’t be at all upset if there were quicker system for removing/replacing/retiring pastors that abuse power. Throw into this pastors who go plain crazy but just get shuffled from church to church. Can we just get rid of these folks who kill congregations?

What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
I once told a group of kids at a commencement address to ‘trust your heart.’ I have spent the past 20 years trying to be faithful to the things that God has put on my heart. It’s not always fun, but it’s been the best things. I’d add onto that though, to have people around you who help you discern God’s movements in your life. More practical advice.. don’t worry about what you major in college with, whomever hires you is just going to teach you which way they do it anyways.

What, if anything, do you worry about?
As an early childhood educator, I worry about the future of our society as we seem to take away our children’s childhood. I remember running around the neighborhood, fishing in a lake that probably didn’t have fish, climbing trees, sliding down hills on cardboard, going down a big hill on a big wheel and hitting the brake so you spin out and roll over, etc.. I fear for children who are over programmed & pressured to succeed by parents and a society that often forgets what it’s like to be a child.

If you were to relive your life to this point, is there anything that you'd do differently?
I probably wouldn’t go onto burbon street during mardi gras. I lived though, barely.. other than that, I’m cool.

Where would you most like to live (other than where you do now)?
I always wanted to live around a ski resort to be ski patrol during the winter and just mountain bike over summers. I used to be really good at skiing, however, since moving south I rarely go, so I’m not sure if I’d enjoy that or not.

What do you like doing in your spare time?
Right now I don’t have spare time. I work a full-time job and a part-time job at a church (some might say there’s no part-time job at a church) along with various volunteer efforts. I’m a few days away from changing into a new job so I will be interested to see what I do with my free time as well.

What is your most treasured possession?
My two dogs, Coe & Crimson, are my treasured possessions. Coe has been with me over eight years now and Crimson I like to call my delinquent teenage daughter.

What talent would you most like to have?
One day I plan on being able to play the hammer dulcimer. I think they are wonderful instruments.

If you could have any three guests, past or present to dinner, who would they be?
Henri Nouwen, Mike Yaconelli, one of Jesus’s brothers/sisters (I think they’d have some hilarious stories, not contained in the gospel of thomas)