I live with my wife and daughter in Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville. A preacher’s kid, I have lived a lot of places, but my wife and I consider Denver, Colorado the place where we’re from.
I graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in communications. It was my intent to become a famous screenwriter, but lucky for me, God had other plans. I am the director of a hard working Web Ministry Team at United Methodist Communications. It is our responsibility to manage UMC.org, the official website of The United Methodist Church, and Find-A-Church. We work with local churches and organizations of the Church to help support and grow their Web ministries.
Why do you blog?
When weblogs first started to surface a few years back, I freely admit I didn’t see the point of online journals. I was awakened to their critical importance when I started seeing people use the medium as a resource. The primary focus of my blog is to discuss Web-based ministry. I am one of the lucky people that is allowed the opportunity to help spread the Message and work in a field that I love. I spend a lot of time thinking about Web ministry and have the chance to connect with some fascinating thinkers working in the field. I simply want my blog to be a place where I can share what I have learned with those who are developing and/or managing a church website on a shoestring budget. When I first started working in the field of faith-based Web development, I felt like I was on an island by myself. I’d like to help volunteer church Web developers get connected and then learn from them as well.
What has been your best blogging experience?
Honestly, I haven’t been blogging long enough to have had a “best” experience. I recently started tracking my site traffic using Google Analytics – I am blown away that people as far away as Australia and Nairobi are reading my blog.
What would be your main advice to a novice blogger?
I still consider myself a novice blogger. I have found that posting to other blogs and Digg.com have increased traffic and interest in my blog significantly.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, what would they be?
http://www.boxesandarrows.com/
http://contentious.com/
http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com/
Who are your spiritual heroes?
My father – he recently retired after 40 years in ministry with The United Methodist Church. As well as my mother who has devoted her life to social service work. Spiritual greatness isn’t earned by how much of the Bible you can quote, but comes with hard work and a willingness to roll-up your sleeves.
What are you reading at the moment?
I suspect I’m like most regular folk, I’m so busy with work that any extra time that I have is spent with my family. I have spent the last 15 months researching the Web-needs of United Methodists – the research documentation is pretty fascinating, but an acquired taste.
What is your favorite hymn and why?
My family spent a number of years serving at Red Bird Mission when I was a kid. “It’s a Gift” always reminds me of the church we attended. There were no projectors, or elaborate sound systems – “simply” worship and music.
Can you name a major moral, political, or intellectual issue on which you've changed your mind?
When I started working in website development 10 years ago, the Internet was the new frontier. In turn, there was a lot of experimentation happening, and thus lots of freedom. I was very much of the mindset that the Internet should be open, without limits or many rules. As the Internet has matured, I have changed my tune considerably. I now believe there needs to be a certain level of regulation to keep online predators in check.
What philosophical thesis do you think is most important to combat?
Over philosophizing.
If you could effect one major change in the governing of your country, what would it be?
The environment. The United States needs to stop depending on oil and move as quickly as possible to the greater use of ethanol. Ethanol will reinvigorate the farming industry, create jobs, and move people back to small communities.
If you could effect one major policy change in the United Methodist Church, what would it be?
I believe that small groups are very necessary anchors in a world that is trying to pull us apart. Focus on small groups and making disciples, not “mega” numbers.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
To let things go. There are too many events and situations in life that you will never be able to change … no matter how hard you try. If you carry the weight of what you can’t control, you’ll never grow spiritually or emotionally.
What, if anything, do you worry about?
Am I spending enough time with my family? Am I doing everything I can to give my daughter every opportunity?
If you were to relive your life to this point, is there anything that you'd do differently?
I’m sure there are things that I shouldn’t have said or done that may have hurt someone, but I’ve done my best to right those wrongs.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you do now)?
Any small Rocky Mountain town that hasn’t been over commercialized … with high-speed Internet of course.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
Spending time with family, tinkering with new Web-ventures, and fantasy football. Not many people know this, but I had once dreamed of being a screenwriter, I hope to get back to that someday.
What is your most treasured possession?
I don’t think of my family as a possession, but my wife and daughter are very important to me. As of late, I have become enamored with my satellite radio – reminds me of the days before corporations sucked all the fun out of radio.
What talent would you most like to have?
I would love to be skilled in the field of public relations and marketing. I’m coming to realize that without effective PR and marketing a great idea will get lost in the shuffle.
If you could have any three guests, past or present to dinner, who would they be?
Bono, Johnny Cash and Edward Abbey
2 comments:
Bono is an excellent choice. I wish I had thought of that!
Very good, Matt. Please explain what BLOG stands for.
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