by Frank Turk
Dear Mark --
Dude, I have known you for more than a decade. I knew you when we were both barely calvinists (small "c" intended) and barely Christian-literate and barely helpful as evangelists and apologists. I knew you before we were channel rats. I knew you before we were bloggers, and my favorite memory of my bookstore was going to CBA the year it was in Atlanta and taking you and my wife to the Provident New Artists concert where we saw Casting Crowns.
Now, here we are, and we're both intermediately-known bloggers with 2000+ twitter followers. But you have a very serious problem.
You are apparently nominated for a $ 10,000 scholarship which you could use to fund seminary, (vote at that link) and you're not winning.
Somebody needs to do something about that, and I am all out of ideas. Maybe if somebody with a really-famous blog mentioned it, since you're the only Christian blogger on that list, you wouldn't get squeezed out by some kid who has his campus voting for him.
Maybe Challies or Justin Taylor can help. I wonder if any of the readers of this blog know how to help out here?
Other than that, I'm completely out of ideas. Sorry man. That's a big problem.
Dear Mark --
Now, here we are, and we're both intermediately-known bloggers with 2000+ twitter followers. But you have a very serious problem.
You are apparently nominated for a $ 10,000 scholarship which you could use to fund seminary, (vote at that link) and you're not winning.
Somebody needs to do something about that, and I am all out of ideas. Maybe if somebody with a really-famous blog mentioned it, since you're the only Christian blogger on that list, you wouldn't get squeezed out by some kid who has his campus voting for him.
Maybe Challies or Justin Taylor can help. I wonder if any of the readers of this blog know how to help out here?
Other than that, I'm completely out of ideas. Sorry man. That's a big problem.
53 comments:
So, despite your tone, the fact that you expect me as a Christian to believe in the Trinity (go figure) and the absence of AC/DC playing at your church, I voted for your boy Mark.
Next.
OK, OK. Sheesh! ;-)
Another idea would be to have a link to the voting site.
I voted!
Voted and am trying to spread the word. I hope that we can get a good effort this year and help him win. And I hope that this will also lead more people to read his blog.
OK, I have no idea who writes hereiblog but I went to the voting area and voted for the only guy named Mark. I hope he was the right one.
For anyone who wants to know, his full name is Mark Lamprecht.
Frank, I appreciate this yo! I hope your regular open letter readers aren't disappointed since they were probably anticipating your letter to D____ _____ A_____. ;)
Everyone, I appreciate your votes! I think I'm the only Mark on the list and definitely the only Mark Lamprecht for whom to vote.
Some people must have a lot of friends or something because they are killing it in less than 12 hours. We'll see what happens. God willing.
I voted, but I'm a Republican, if that's okay.
"...where we saw Casting Crowns."
I'll bet that was a sweet time in worship and fellowship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrFowVehhpM&feature=related
I was self-centered blind and sinfully dead, yet He touched me, and I don't know why. But He is my lifesong forevermore.
Mark has my vote. Let's pray for Mark to win it.
Pray AND vote.
Just a quick word here:
Mark is literally the only Christian on that list. I'm usually not the guy that says, "you should vote for him because he's a Christian," but mark's not just some schmuck with a fish on his pickup truck.
This is one time you can make a spectacle of a man saved by grace who will do good in the world for the sake of the Gospel.
And it costs you nothing. You could do this and blow your nose at the same time and move on to the next task.
So...Mark wanted Frank to write an open letter to "Dear Abby"?
That's worth a vote...at least one.
The guy leading the vote count only has 29 total blogposts on his blog, which if for a pro basketball team. Just sayin'.
You know, if you clear your browsing cache you could actually vote multiple times. I don't know anyone who would do such a thing; but it is interesting that one could if one was of a mind. Just sayings all.
Mark got my vote(s). Hummm.
Done.
Can you vote more than once?
I voted!
I just thought of something: This contest is simply a contest to see who is the best self-promoter or campaigner. I'm willing to kick in $100 if others are, and it would only take 100 of us to get to $100. Mark, set up an account and let us know how to contribute. The chances of being the best self-promoter out of a score of others, are low in my opinion unless that just happens to be your thing.
PS: Revision: Make that "I'm willing to kick in $100 whether others do, or not."
strategem,
Wow! That is very generous of you. I do have a paypal account set up for donations on my sidebar. Or you can use mark @ hereiblog to send via paypal.
Appreciate the offer!
Did Casting and Crowns both appear onstage simultaneously?
Oh, wait, wrong open letter...
And as of right now, he has exactly 3 more twitter followers than you.
But, Stratagem, marketing savvy and relentless self-promotion are essential skills for 21st century pastors dontcha know...
Voted, and I'm in for my coffee budget at least....unless you pick somewhere like Princeton.....;)
Employing the "Pray/Vote/Pray" strategy...now.
And for the first time in the last several years (and likely the only time for at least another year), casting my vote doesn't immediately cause a wave of nausea. That's nice.
(Word Verification: impedism--because no one should stand in Mark's way. ...Get it? Impede-ism? ...Okay, okay, i'm leaving.)
I voted, but I'm a Republican, if that's okay.
It is ok Don, but it does mean you can only vote once. ;-)
Frank,
The tone of this letter is nearly devoid of hope, and that disappoints me. And the fact that you didn't take Mark out for coffee first but instead you attended a Casting Crowns concert just blows my mind. As to the label "seeing what our readers are made of," I will have you know: steel (with a heart of mush and/or gold, depending on our tax bracket). But I voted for the poor guy anyway, just to teach you a lesson, and for once in Internet history, prove you to be wrong.
What? Casting Coffee? What?
Mark - done! How convenient it is to give these days. May the Lord bless you throughout your life, as a servant of Him.
Hopefully some others will follow suit and donate, and even if you don't win the contest you will have a decent consolation prize.
PS: Mark, when I tried to find your blog I notice Team Pyro does not have either your name or your blog name in their sidebar. You know anyone at Pyromaniacs who could get you listed there? :0
Hey Ron, it's Don. I could change to a Democrat, and vote, and then change back. Or even be one of those Independents, perhaps?
Too much work I guess.
stratagem,
Thanks a bunch for the donation! I'm not sure how to thank you other than to say - Thank you!
As for my blog being listed here...I'm not sure. Maybe I'm a pseudo-friend? :) Maybe I annoyed Frank all that time on the phone when he own the bookstore. Or maybe those hours on the bus and days on the cruise ship with Phil did me in.
Done, and will mention it to everyone in our Wednesday night Bible Study.It would be GREAT if Mark won.
No need at all to thank me, the workman is worthy of his wages. So thank the Lord.
Don,
Hey Ron, it's Don. I could change to a Democrat, and vote, and then change back. Or even be one of those Independents, perhaps?
Naw, just tell Acorn you’ve switched to Democrat and then you can vote as much as you want. ;-)
"But, Stratagem, marketing savvy and relentless self-promotion are essential skills for 21st century pastors dontcha know..."
Thanks Rachael for the smile!
I've voted!
Don't try this only one blogger is Christian crap (because I know another blogger on that list).
Voted! Go Mark :D
"But, Stratagem, marketing savvy and relentless self-promotion are essential skills for 21st century pastors dontcha know..."
That does seem to be the case, especially for those who have forgotten who they are supposed to be promoting...!
I apologize, DJP, I'm a bit rusty. I hope my sarcasm wasn't over-the-top. Pregnancy hormones. I'll go vote again.
@ Frank. Ahem. At least one more Christian in that list. Just sayin'!
Ron, Funny bro.
I was thinking much about our Lord coming back, and as I pondered this today, I actually realized I simply want to get out of this crazy world, and not so much see our Savior. Though I do long to seee Jesus at times, and it's something in my heart, I also have this flesh that constantly looks at itself.
So, here's the Scriputre that came to me:
"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."-Paul
Patrick Driscoll said : Mark --- You got my vote --- I hope you choose a very good seminary --- TMS?
Dan --
I stand by what I said.
I voted! All the best to you, Mark!
Joshua --
I stand by what I said.
Let me put it plainly: there are no other Christian blogs on that list. If some of those other people belong to churches and would mention that they "like Jesus," that's nice.
That's not what I am talking about.
Some of those people have a vote increase every single refresh. That is a bit strange.
Dvan360, I see what you mean. I just did some F5ing and watched someone gain about 300 votes in 30 seconds.
Actually, to be specific, none seem to be moving much, except for Brian McElhinny and Ben Swanson. The former is gaining over 10 votes ever few seconds right now, heh. Shennanigans.
Well, FWIW, I voted!
So would anyone else like to contribute at hereiblog? I encourage everyone reading to do so.
Folks are probably aware that the voting has been reset, but it's also worth pointing out that we can all (legitimately!) vote once per day. Go Mark!
Yep, the voting has been reset to due ballot stuffing. The link has also been reset and we can all vote once per day. The ability to vote once per day is reset 24 hours after your vote rather than being reset daily based on our clocks.
The new link to vote is: http://www.collegescholarships.org/blog/2011/11/18/2011-blogging-scholarship/
Thanks again!
I'm glad to hear that the voting issue has been addressed, and I just went back and voted again. While I am optimistic and hopeful that Mark will win (so I can "prove" Frank wrong for being pessimistic), I also have a great appreciation for strategem's response, and hope there are more people out there who can follow his lead as well.
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