Back in the late 90s, when NBC aired sitcom reruns during the summer, it advertised using the slogan, “If you haven’t seen it, it’s new to you.” I thought that was clever.

This year I wrote more guest posts for other websites than I ever have before—if you count the podcast interviews, I hit twenty-two in all.

But I stopped telling you about them. Basically, I feared wearing you out with updates. Inbox fatigue is a blogger’s constant fear. This fall, for example, nearly every email I sent was followed by at least one unsubscribe. Far more discouraging was that my favorite place to be published rejected my last five consecutive articles. These are good reminders that life is not lived always up and to the right. 

As we close 2019, I’ll risk sharing recaps of my guest posts, because, you know, if you haven’t read it, it’s new to you. For the next three weeks I’ll share a few articles a week and a favorite paragraph or two from each.

Thanks for letting me invade your inbox and build a home on this piece of Internet real estate,
Benjamin

“Reflections on The Pursuit of Writing,” Pastor Writer Podcast interview, November 10, 2018

This was actually a podcast interview from last November, but I really, really enjoyed being on this show. I love the work done by the host Chase.

“Porn: The Killer of Missions,” The Missions Podcast Interview, January 13, 2019

This was another podcast interview. I love the co-hosts Scott and Alex with ABWE. It was kind of them to have me on as a guest.

“Networking for Pastors who Hate Networking,” Gospel-Centered Discipleship, February 14, 2019

But for whatever reason, I hate the word networking. It feels greasy. When I hear it, I think cheap suits, slick hair, gaudy gold chains, and a guy who points with his index finger as he talks (cf., Prov. 6:12–13). Even if this is a cliché, at one point or another, we’ve all had the miserable experience of being used. I call it networking after Genesis 3, east of Eden.

“Clarity About Compensation,” Evangelical Free Church of America Blog (EFCA NOW), March 28, 2019

The Bible is replete with stories of those ensnared by the power of money. Consider the well-known Levite in Judges 17–18. To paraphrase, he is basically asked, “Young man, do you want a better preaching gig? If so, then come on up. Don’t be a priest to a family; be one to a whole tribe.” Previously he had worked for only a small wage, a set of clothes, and his living expenses (17:10). But when the Levite heard this new offer—albeit one made by 600 armed warriors—his “heart was glad” (Judges 18:20). Additionally, consider Balaam in Numbers 22, Gehazi in 2 Kings 5, the rich young ruler in Mark 10, Zacchaeus in Luke 19, and Ananias and his wife Sapphira in Acts 5.

“Christians and the Struggle Against Porn: Q&A with Benjamin Vrbicek,” Anchored in Christ – KevinHalloran.net, May 23, 2019

More than a few times the guys at our church office teased me about it. “Benjamin,” they’d ask, “how’s your pornography book going?” “It’s not a pornography book,” I’d respond. “It’s a book to help men struggle against it.”

“Is It Time to Change Churches? (Part 1 of 2),” Am I Called?, May 24, 2019

When I was a kid, my parents gave me a choice about a summer vacation. I couldn’t figure out what to do. My parents told me I could go with them on a short trip to visit my grandparents or I could stay home with a friend to attend a local basketball camp. I had no idea what God wanted me to do. One morning I distinctly remember staring at a small bowl of cereal and asking God this very question. As I twirled the last few Lucky Charms with my spoon, I asked God to make the cereal into the shape of the state—either Missouri (basketball) or Iowa (grandparents)—to indicate what I should do. I’m not encouraging you to go and do likewise. After all, when I was a child I thought like a child. 

“Are We There Yet? Knowing the Steps in a Pastoral Transition (Part 2 of 2),” Am I Called? (May 30, 2019)

When I coach pastors during a season of transition, there’s something they often don’t understand but should: the steps involved in a search process and where you’re at within that process. It sounds simple, but it’s not always as simple as it sounds. And a lot of frustration ensues when the process is jumbled in the mind of a candidate. This confusion manifests itself when someone—a spouse or friend or family member—asks how close you are to being hired. The response goes something like, “You know, I’m not sure. The church said something about an interview weekend, but also something about a theology examination and calling references. But I don’t know exactly when and how all of this happens.”

* Photo by Matt Botsford on Unsplash