There are some evenings when I can sit in front of my computer for hours and just do nothing but click buttons, to change views, reconfigure the desktop, find new bells and whistles on different things. I need to employ someone to kick me up the arse every time this happens. Anybody know of any funding available for a PA that can kick butt every once in a while?

Oooh, baby’s got a brand new band. Today marked the end of two weeks of worry - I presented a progress report to the RMIT Graduate Research Conference. Last semester I got a “satisfactory - passable work but needs major reworking of thesis proposal”. This semester I got a “what a magnificent dude - tall and funny and smart too, whodathunkit?”.

Well, actually, it was more like “major issues sorted out”. But the feeling from the panel was very positive and encouraging, and they seemed impressed that I had moved so much in the semester.

Some questions arose from the panel, more out of interest than concern, that will be issues of guidance for the near future:

1. Sample size. I reported that the data collected thus far from the sample identified was already almost 3000 pages worth, and wondered whether it was possible to cope with another eight months of data collection. It was suggested that I should approach one of the statistics-type research teaching staff at the university to get advice on what makes a good sample, which I’ll do. I’m also considering just halting the data collection at the end of next month, and then doing a small analysis to see if I’ve got enough to work with, or if I’ll need to get more.
2. Am I a determinist? One of the panel suggested that my research questions carried a few assumptions: firstly, that blog technologies enable the construction of identity, and secondly, that bloggers shape common views of the EC. He said the questions smacked of technological determinism, which is fine per se, but which I’ll have to back up. I responded by saying that I know I’m not a technological determinist, but can see how the questions, as well as other parts of the report, read as such. I told him I was more into media ecology - seeing technology as creating an environment where patterns of social interaction and identity construction are framed, but other determinants of these patterns are also brought into the environment from the outside (like personal experience, church traditions, yada yada yada). As soon as I said that, I realised that talk of media ecology is sometimes seen as the “new” technological determinism. I know I need to do some more background research into where I sit - and how I frame my questions and answers. So more reading on McLuhan and Ellul and Postman et al.
3. Measuring social capital. My explanation of the conceptual framework was well liked, and there was much discussion about how identity is constructed through social participation. Then the question was thrown into the ring: “Given you’re talking so much about social capital in the blogosphere, how are you going to describe or measure how it is being made?” Another panelist responded quickly to it, by talking about Technorati. I told them I’ll be doing some mapping of links, comments, Technorati lists, and whatever other traffic information I can find to diagrammatically represent the concepts. I reckon it can be done, and I’ll try to do it soon after completing the first round of data collection.
4. Ancient-future. I mentioned that one of the tenets of an EC missiology may be to return or to reinvent ancient ritual practices and ways of faithful living, in an endeavour to live out the notions that Christianity now exists on the margins of a pluralised and secularised society, as we did nineteen centuries ago. A panelists mentioned that often “glorious pasts” such as this are constructs made in the present. I’m not sure how big an issue it is for me right now, but I’ll be looking into it. Would like to hear what you guys reckon.
5. Research timetable. At another presentation I saw a fellow student give a funky timetable of his research, where all I gave was a simple list. For my own sanity I’m going to need to make a fuller and more retailed outline of my ongoing goals and make some milestones.

If I had more experience at this sort of thing, I would find it thrilling, but at the moment it’s a little scary. I just discovered that, if you include the PhD, I am in the middle of writing three books at the moment.

I’ve been encouraged by my supervisor at work to take more time out to write the two books I’m in the middle of: Spirit in Youth Work, and Sexuality and spirituality: a resource for youth workers, plus time to write an article about youth work ethics online (in particular, on MySpace.com). Which is nice of the agency but it means I’m knuckling down and thinking hard and trying to compose new research/writing structure, as well as maintain my own composure.
That’s why I’ve taken the page about Spirit in Youth Work off this web site. there’s no point keeping it there if it’s undone and half-finished. I’d rather show the real mccoy when it’s ready.

I’m a bit slow, but I’ve managed to find some video interviews of Mark Driscoll, John Piper and Tim Keller on the emerging church. I’ve saved them in a playlist that you can go to: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=04C0441382D94934 (I hope the link works, I’ve only just now learned how to make playlists on YouTube).

I’d be interested in hearing your opinions on what these white men have to say. Personally, I think their outlook is very American, and highlights for me some major differences between their country’s experience of being emerging/emergent/postmodern/whatever and our’s. Here are some questions and thoughts of my own:

1. In one video, Driscoll talks about the emerging church having three streams, plus a newer fourth stream. He labels one stream “emergent”, being more liberal than the others. I am yet to find out if the emerging chruch movement/conversation down under is organised to be seen in “streams” that could be identified along the liberal-conservative spectrum. Could FORGE be seen as a “stream”? Could “streams” be found depending on their denomination of origin (e.g. Baptist emerging churches might differ from Anglican or Uniting Church emerging communities)? Or could differences be made between organisations like FORGE?

Well, I have more questions, but YouTube just went down for schdeuled maintenance, so I might try and pick it up later.

Technorati tags: emerging church, Mark Driscoll, John Piper, Tim Keller, YouTube.