Saying Goodbye to Michael

Somewhere I read or heard that sociologists have decided that the Internet has made us all into self-centered egotists who only care for ourselves. The Internet they claim is depersonalizing society and creating millions of unfeeling cretins. There’s one person who made the Internet very personal and very real, Michael Spencer (aka The Internet Monk). When I heard of his death , I cried.

Michael ran a blog for 10 years called The Internet Monk. From his blog and his podcasts, he was a faithful guide to what he called “the Post-Evangelical Wilderness”, that social space for those who are looking for more grace and more Jesus. I would listen to his podcast on the way to work and think “I feel the same way.”.. Michael could make his point with a sharp sense of humor. One of my favorite iMonk quotes:

We took classes in how to “witness,” classes that bore an amazing similarity to seminars on how to sell vacuum cleaners and encyclopedias. (“Mrs. Jones, after seeing the amazing usefulness of Jesus, can you think of any reason you shouldn’t buy him right now?”)      from Wretched Urgency

I never met Michael, but in the  couple of years I read his work he has had a great influence on my walk with Christ. His writing was thought provoking and challenging. He did NOT give the same old answer retreaded. Sometimes his answers were more like questions, sometimes they spawned more questions. The discussions he inspired were thoughtful and deep.

There’s a song that has been playing through my iPod this week from Chris Tomlin, I Will Rise.

I will rise on eagle’s wing, No more sorrow, no more pain

I hear the voice of many angels sing “Worthy is the Lamb”