Why Bonhoeffer?

After several failed attempts at creating a blog, I thought maybe I didn't need to bother. After all, isn't blogging just a bit conceited, if not egotistical? The idea that the whole world, or at least the world connected to the Internet, has the opportunity to read what you have to say or even worse, the whole world should read what you have to say is a more than a bit self-aggrandizing, right?

To publish one's opinions or thoughts is a bit of an ego stroking activity, no matter what anyone says, right? Maybe, maybe not. We want to be heard, noticed, recognized. We want people to rally around our words, to agree with us, we don't want to be part of the silent majority. We want to make a difference, to help, to enlighten. We want to provoke, incite, rant, and rave.

Ultimately, we want human contact. We desperately need someone to see more than the false exterior we wear in public. We want to shed the filters society imposes on us. Be it work, school, family, political correctness, church, or any other social institution that forces us to bottle our true thoughts and questions. We want people to see us for who we are...and accept us, faults and all.

We want community. We want real relationships. We look for real connections everywhere. Some better than others.
And that is where Bonhoeffer comes in.

So many have tried to find refuge and some sort of connection within the structure known as 'church', but few have found true, unconditional acceptance or true community within those four walls. Some have never stepped foot in a conventional church, and that may actually be a good thing, because of the hypocrisy.

Bonhoeffer's writings, many of which were written while under the oppressive regime of the Third Reich, questions mans' motives and visions for church/community. If it weren't for the pressure and heat of the earth, the impurities of coal would never be purged to create a diamond.

So it is with the church.

If Bonhoeffer had not lived out his faith under the intense persecution of Hitler's rule, then it is doubtless his writings would not show us what true church/community would look like with man's impurities removed.

In Life Together, Bonhoeffer quotes Martin Luther,

"The Kingdom is to be in the midst of your enemies. And he who will not suffer this does not want to be of the Kingdom of Christ; he wants to be among friends, to sit among roses and lilies, not with the bad people but the devout people. O you blasphemers and betrayers of Christ! If Christ had done what you are doing who would have ever been spared?"

I think this is a blog for those seeking out something more.

Something more than the daily grind.
Something more than religion.
Something more than empty relationships.
Something more than church as usual where everyone pretends to be O.K.
Something more than bashing 'Christians' for their flakiness and double standards.

This is a blog for those who don't follow a particular set of man-made rules concerning God and church and 'all that stuff'.

This is a blog for those who do.

This is a blog for those who hate church and God and Jesus and have been hurt or burned by someone within its walls.

This is a blog for those who haven't.

This is a blog seeking out true community.
And truth.
And love.
And God.

This is a blog for those with something to say, and ultimately, we all have something to say.