There have been several kind folks who have asked me about my “Ask Anything” question that, for about a month, stood at #1 on Mark Driscoll’s “Ask Anything” website. Some of you will remember that exactly a month ago, I bailed out on the project as I thought things had gotten way out of hand, and the comments on the question seemed to miss the point. During this period of time, I seldom visited the “Ask Anything” site and did not vote.
The current vote total for my question stands at 15,236, landing it at #10 on the top 20 list. For the question to make the cut, a spread of around 1,200 votes will have to be overcome. At this point, there are only six days left before the voting process closes. That means we are in the bottom of the ninth inning. Can the regulative principle rally and make it in the top 9?
I think it is worth a try. I remember as a little leaguer when we would put on our rally caps, yell a little louder, and believe a little more. I guess that little leaguer in me is still there. So how is it going to happen? Well, I know at least it will require a team effort.
Here’s two suggestions of what you can do. First, vote ten times for the question every day until Friday. Second, encourage others in your circles to vote. Send out emails to your friends (with the links to the question explaining how to vote, 10 times each day), plug it on your blog, mention it on Facebook or Myspace, and talk it up in the comments of the question. But please do not vote illegally!
In case you missed it, the last time Driscoll actually spoke about my question (shortly after the bail out), he spoke of it in a positive light. Driscoll wrote:
“Much to everyone’s surprise the question on worship fell from the top spot for the first time. As I have been thinking about that question, it does have some good implications regarding the emerging church. Namely, do such things as icons, labyrinth walking etc. constitute freedoms in worship or paganism?”
And in the meta of my question, Driscoll wrote:
“But, for the record, I do think this is a good question and kindly stated. Especially with some Emergent type churches incorporating icons, labyrinths, prayer walking etc. it raises the issue of where a line is drawn between pagan and Christian worship practice. So, I do see this question as allowing me to speak broadly about how Scripture regulates our corporate worship as well as define worship in general as a life lived in totality under God’s rule over all. And, the man who asked the question is a man I have never meet and so I have no personal troubles with him at all. One of our Acts 29 planters I believe does know him and speaks very well of him as a great and thoughtful brother. Perhaps one day we will meet, and I suspect before then I will be preaching his question and I sincerely look forward to doing so as it is worthwhile.“
Six days, down 1200 votes. Ninth-inning rally time. Let’s see what we can do to see this question makes the cut.
I’ll contribute. I think about 300 of the votes are mine to date.
I am with you man. Great question, and I cannot believe the responses. I have struggled with this question, and I would say that I personally think there is a fundamental problem in the definition of being “missional” if that means “relevant.” In fact, I think your question is one of the two most improtant one’s up there. The other one would be the first question. You question is the opposite of the first one: what should missional churches be learning from church history/traditional churches? I will be voting for your question.
I’ve emailed my minions and blogged about this (The emails will help, but since I am not a prolific blogger, blogging it may not do a ton of good!)
Thanks Timmy.
Guys,
Thank you for helping out and passing on the encouraging words. For what its worth, the #1 question (about what traditional churches can learn from emerging churches) was asked by a brother who is a member of my church (actually on staff), and a PhD student at SBTS (writing on the emerging church).
Let’s continue to get the word out!
Currently, there are five blogs plugging the question (SAS, SBF, James, Ron, and JohnMark). First, thank you! Second, can we get 10 blogs by Monday promoting this question?
I think we can.
Thanks Ron for emailing your people. Yeah, those in your email list are usually closer to you and have more influence with, so asking them probably has better chances that they will vote. Unfortunately for me, I do not have a big email list!
I think it is a great question… if anything not just for Him to respond, but to give a defense on why he doesn’t (I assume he doesn’t hold to the principle)… if he does then that will be a chance for more questions 🙂
I did and will continue to vote for your question! Hope you win!
Yogi
Question #9 is increasing at a rate similar to your question. Soon we will catch up with #6, 7, & 8. I think there are people that don’t want your question answered….no, that cannot be it 🙂
Brother, as of 10:30 you are number seven in the polls. I will continue to get the word out and thank you for this important question.
Yogi and James,
Thanks for voting and speaking positively for the question. I perused the other threads, doing a search on “regulative principle,” it is surprising how many are not only voting for other questions but *against* this question. Odd how people can find my question so troubling to them.
Brian,
I just checked and saw the new results. There have been over 1800 votes tallied since my post this morning. That is truly remarkable. I really hope they are all legitimate (not ballot stuffing). If they are, it is only as a result of many people getting the word out and believing this question is really important.
While we may have gained considerable ground, we still need to get the word out as much as we can as other questions will be picking up steam as well.
Let’s keep talking it up and encouraging other folks to consider voting for the question!
As you probably well know, this can easily be resolved with “ballot stuffing” as you intimated above. Since they track you by cookies, you can probably get in 10 votes per browser (IE, Firefox, Safari, Opera, etc) and also per account on any given computer (then consider you have multiple computers). Between my home and office, I could generate 200+ votes per day. Admittedly, this might be bending the rules a little, and hopefully there is not anyone out there with that much time on their hands.
It is a great question, I hope Mark answers it regardless.
Nathan,
Yeah, I have heard about that but certainly hope no one does anything like that. I think it will de-legitimize the question. If the 1800+ vote that came in today are all “true” votes, then I think that is really encouraging. If they are some that are not “true” votes, then I hope Pastor Zach deletes them.
I really believe we can get up there and stay there. If, for instance, there were 100 people who voted 10 times each day for the next five days. That would be 5,000 votes on the final stretch which would make a significant statement. Hopefully today is just a start.
Even if you voted from multiple browsers wouldn’t the cookies id the IP address? Someone asked this on the “Ask Anything” site. With example of church staff voting, but all of the computers in the church are on the same network. I guess the same could be asked of computers at a business. Anyway I’m casting my 10 votes a day toward this question.
Wayne
#5 (with a bullet).
Thanks Wayne! Jerry, I just saw that. Really cool. Perhaps by Wednesday or Thursday the question can be challenging the top three . . . 🙂
Does it say something about my character that I felt oddly powerful when my vote moved a question up a ranking?
Tim,
Thanks for voting. Weekend blitzkrieg wrap up:
Sat. 6:30 a.m. #10 with 15,236
Sun. 11:59 p.m. #4 with 18,179
Net change: 2,943 votes
Hoping they none a result of ballot stuffing, that’s exciting to see over a weekend (a time when folks normally are not online). Again, thanks all of you who have been voting.
Can we get 3,000 votes over the next three days?
Coming back in the 9th like the Braves….
Let’s just hope unlike the Braves that there is celebration. 🙂
From Atlanta with love,
Mark
johnMark,
Yeah, I think the key is to keep up the pace. Getting back in the game is one thing; staying there is another!
There will be a big push in the last week, so I think it will be a challenge to keep up, muech less gain ground. We’ll see!
19159 votes after my little contribution, resulting in #2.
Strange how some people don’t want this question asked or answered.
Vote Update:
Through Monday, vote count stands at 19,597.
Monday vote total: 1,418 (from #4 to #2).
Good stuff. Let’s keep it going!