Recently I posted some links to Barry Wallace's excellent blog, "
Who Am I?" For several months now, Barry and I have been linking our sites and enjoying fruitful discussion on many topics. Last week, we decided to make our partnership official and list one another as team members. I'll continue to do what I'm doing here at THEOparadox, but I'll occasionally post to "
Who Am I?" as well. And I hope we'll get a few paradox articles out of Barry right here. As much fun as it is to guest post on other sites, that was not the reason we formed an alliance.
We are both strong believers in the idea of team blogging. There is an added sense of solidarity and accountability that comes with forming a team. Blogging, like any other form of communication, presents opportunities for sin (and opportunities for grace, too). As team members, we set out to admonish, encourage, and confront one another whenever there is evidence of pride, discouragement, anger, loss of focus, or an error in logic or theology. I know Barry will hold my feet to the fire and rebuke me if, for example, I say something un-Christ-like to a trolling hyper-Calvinist or posit some kind of legalism.
On my profile page, you will find four team members listed for this blog.
The first to join was my very astute friend,
Tony Hayling (he's the one one the left). Tony doesn't post here, although he's very welcome to do so. He is a well-studied and thoughtful believer, and he occasionally disagrees with me. I'm okay with that. He's got his own ideas about paradox, and his own unique way of articulating the theology of the Reformation, which often helps me to think through the issues more thoroughly. He's probably a higher Calvinist than I am, but he has a good sense of balance. I really appreciate his friendship and his perspectives. He's also a tremendously gifted writer and an edifying person to talk to.
My 7-year-old daughter is also on the team. She occasionally posts here as a guest, so I finally broke down and gave her a blogger profile, "Girl Whom God Loves." As you will see from her posts, she's quite a good thinker when it comes to theology. She's somewhat precocious, and God has given her a uniquely logical mind. Like my Mom, she is probably a genius. Apparently, that trait skips a generation.
And now, Barry Wallace has joined the team (he's the one on the right). In
my first post on his blog, you can read more about why I've chosen to join ranks with him. Maybe we can convince Barry to do at least one guest post here in the near future . . . but above all I'm grateful for the added encouragement, wisdom and accountability he will bring.
Yesterday I asked my 8-year old daughter this question:
I'm girl whom God loves. I'm here to tell you about the meaning of Christmas. It's about something that happened long ago... there was no room at the inn, so Jesus was born in a stable. Some shepherds in a nearby field were watching their sheep. An angel came to them, saying: "Glory to God in the highest." The angel told them, "the Son of David is lying in a manger." They were scared. The angel said: "Fear not!" Wise men came later. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. What would a baby do with gold? I don't know. The Bible doesn't tell us.In this Christmas season, remember the real reason! What is the real reason? Jesus! So, when you open your presents and set up your tree, remember the real meaning of Christmas. {The meaning of Christmas told in the story above} It's about Jesus coming to save us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life" ~ John 3:16. "Bye - Bye" 
"For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
This is a Girl Whom God Loves!
Well, I decided what part of Christ's body I want to be: the neck. Because the neck holds up the head, and that's Jesus.
This my daughter's second guest article (she's seven years old). I've written it exactly as she worded it . . .
