A Class is a Gas, But Online is Fine

I just completed my first week of seminary classes. I did question whether or not I would enjoy the online learning environment, but prior to seminary I was able to take a number of work-related training and found myself very satisfied with the experience. I think the biggest adjustment was the asynchronous nature of discussion, but it doesn't bother me nearly as much now as it did in the beginning. (Plus it's made me more patient!)

I've done a great deal of writing for broadcast and print over the years, so I feel pretty comfortable about projecting myself online. (If you're imagining me with the good looks of a Greek god, the intelligence of Stephen Hawking, and the sartorial sense of the "Man in the Hathaway Shirt" -- complete with eye-patch -- I've succeeded!)

Not being present together in a classroom means my learning cohort is somewhat handicapped at communicating because we're without vocal inflection, body language and facial expression. In the end this may turn out to be beneficial to us all. This medium will cause us to become more articulate in the written word out of necessity.

One of my classmates posted something that really got me thinking: "Hopefully, [my] persona is accurate as to who I really am. It is very important to me to be 'real' and not to put up a false front in any aspect of life..."

I interact with a lot of youth both professionally and as a volunteer. Often I look at a student's myspace page and think, "Do I even know this person at all?"

Who's real and who's the doppelganger? The teen who's on the worship team praising God -- or the potty-mouth trash talking online? Would the student even know?

Young people lead such compartmentalized lives. That's out of necessity, I hasten to add. They have one set of expectations at mom's house, another when they visit dad on the weekend, and others at school, work, and with friends. It's the only way they've ever known and it's logical that they end up treating their faith the same way. It's a real challenge for those of us ministering to youth.

Being real in all aspects of life -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- is a much-needed witness in the world these days. If our learning community can extend that grace to each other over the next two years we may have something really vital to share in our local churches and communities.