Gentle reader,
I’m so excited!
Church Blogmatics is celebrating a milestone: we are now a community of over 4000 subscribers!
I’ve had a ton of fun writing and experimenting here, getting to know some of you, and plotting future posts.
Since I moved Church Blogmatics to Substack in January, the newsletter has seen over 350,000 views, and the community includes subscribers from 48 states and 75 countries. The most viewed posts include my response to Josh Butler’s ideas about sex and God, my post answering reader questions about hell, a piece on complementarian theology and gnosticism, and a personal reflection on mothering and work.
Thanks so much for reading!
“If all…are offended because of Christ, let them be offended; but where is the sense of their being offended at something that is not Christ and is nothing like him!” — Dorothy Sayers
Friends, I’m tired of misrepresentations of Jesus. I’m tired of a so-called Christianity that has nothing to do with the good news of Jesus. I want to talk about the beauty, the truth, and the goodness of God.
A lot of things make me tired. But you? You encourage me. You give me hope.
I am grateful to each of you for inviting me into your email inbox and taking the time to read my words, and I’m grateful when you choose to share with friends and join the conversation through comments and the chat.
And I’m incredibly thankful to those of you who have chosen to become supporting subscribers and contribute financially to my work here.
Inflation is high, and I have teenagers, so not only do I appreciate your support, I also understand that your choices about what to support matter to you. Thank you.
If 5% of free subscribers chose to upgrade their subscriptions, I would be freed up to turn down four or five moonlighting events each year in favor of putting time and energy into the Church Blogmatics community.
Why do folks choose to pay for a subscription? Here are a few reasons from current supporting subscribers.
“Your work inspires and informs me, and I’m so grateful for the voices of strong women who love Jesus!”
“I am blessed by what I’m learning from you.”
“Thought-provoking and a bit of fun. What more could one ask for?”
If you’re a “yes” to any of the questions below, please consider upgrading your subscription.
Do you look forward to getting Church Blogmatics in your inbox?
Do you value the time and expertise that goes into writing this newsletter?
Do you want to be part of an online community without trolls? A community that’s not driven by social media algorithms?
Supporting subscribers receive the following benefits:
backstage pass posts
discounts on ticketed events (book club!)
access to commenting and the ability to start threads in the CB chat
my hearty thanks for your support of my work!
If a paid subscription is not in the budget:
I am delighted that you’re here!
You can support Church Blogmatics by forwarding and sharing.
In fact, you can get free months by referring friends.
When your friends subscribe (free or paid), you’ll get:
a 1 month comp for 3 referrals
a 3 month comp for 5 referrals
a 12 month comp for 25 referrals
Finally, you’re welcome to reply to this e-mail with your request, and I’ll be happy to set you up for free. I don’t want anyone to be left out of the Church Blogmatics community because of budget.
(And, if you’d like to fund a subscription for someone without a Substack budget, click below).
Thank you for being part of what I’m doing here.
Thank you for helping get the word out about Church Blogmatics!
I'm privileged to be in conversation with you.
Grace & peace,
BFJ
This piece contains associate links.
Register for Fall’s Theology & Fiction Book Club Gathering
Click here to get your ticket at Eventbrite. More details are available here.
Interested in taking an audio course, with me, on the basics of Christian thought? Available at Logos.
My walk with Christ has been enriched by your posts. Thank you.
At a time in our history when truth seems elusive or even in decay, those of us who aspire to it and seek to live and practice what we say we believe, your Bible-respecting teachings are so very encouraging.