Ministerial coming-out

I’ve been on this path to ministry, probably my whole life, but things have escalated over the last few years. I’ve kept this blog since 2015. Somehow, it grew to be the most followed spiritual blog on Medium.com. Writing through my journey here has been the most important work I’ve ever done.

But I’ve never really shared much of the journey on social media.

Instagram has mostly just been my digital family photo album. Why??…

Well, first of all, I personally KNOW a lot of people there. They’re largely friends, family members, or acquaintances who I’ve met in the flesh. My blog readers are largely... Digital. I don’t know many of you, personally. Having this sense of anonymity has been priceless so far. I’ve been able to say things there that I’d be nervous to say to someone I know. It’s not as vulnerable of a space which has allowed me to be more vulnerable. 

Another factor is that a lot of people who follow me on social media knew me long before I signed up for Christian ministry. It felt abrupt to suddenly get all super-Christian on them there. After all, that’s not the Jonas they signed up for. 

But now, I realize... At this juncture, as I prepare for internship and beyond, I’m not going back. Public ministry IS my vocation. So what a shame to not share this journey with them, my friends and family, the people I know and love the most. Yes, some might judge. Some might say that I’m a weirdo Christian now and write me off (some already have). But I think that those who do this are few and far between. I think that most of them truly care about what I’m doing and trust me. They may even want to know more but are nervous to ask me about it. Or maybe they just don’t want to talk about it - and that’s totally fine.

I get this a lot: “Can I cuss around you?” Or, when we’re out somewhere, “Can I order a beer, man, you good with that?” It’s a bummer that Christianity has come to equal moral superiority and aggressive self-righteousness in our culture when it’s actually fundamentally supposed to be the opposite. I am not a moral judge. If faith doesn’t allow you to be you, something’s wrong. 

Anyhow, I posted this photo of me in a clergy collar on Instagram. It was like an overdue ministerial coming-out of sorts. 

It is my hope and my responsibility to share more of my journey there in a way that’s life-giving to all. If you haven’t yet, give me a follow. Hope to see you over there.

As Ever,
Jonas