TaddGrandstaff.com

I do my best to learn from those that have went before me. I ask a lot of questions, I meet with and talk to a lot of pastors on a regular basis, and I read a lot of blogs. One of the areas that I have always done pretty well in is dealing with critics. The last week or so has been a little testing. I have allowed myself to get a little distracted and allowed my focus to shift a little as well. This is pretty typical when you are being criticized…whether it is positive criticism or negative criticism. In a moment you can find yourself completely consumed in it. This is something for the last 3 yrs. of blogging that I have never engaged in. I commented a few weeks ago on a blog that had some comments in reference to one of the messages that I had recently spoke [again something I have never done before]. The second I did it I knew it was a bad decision because I have never before allowed myself to stoop to that level.

With all that went on last week with the NBC interview…it has begun a blogging frenzy and I have allowed myself to be a little captivated by it. Spending way too time much watching the incoming links to my blog and checking out Technorati. Again, not just focusing on the negative posts because the positive posts have FAR outweighed the FEW negative ones. But it’s amazing how the few small negative critics always seem to carry the most voice. I went back today and read a few of Perry’s old post in regards to dealing with critics. Great wisdom passed down from someone who has went before me. You can read a few his posts here, here, here, and here.

Anyways, I sat down today and listed out some personal parameters for myself in regards to the blogging, reading blogs, commenting, and receiving emails and comments on my blog. These parameters prevent me from loosing focus on all the different type of critics. It’s nothing major, but here they are:

1. I will no longer read blogs that I have not subscribed to [period]. Unless I am using something for my sermon study. Using a blog reader [ie. bloglines] keeps me from seeing the comments that people have posted especially in posts involving me. So, I will only read the blogs that I subscribe to.
2. I will no longer monitor my blog comments. I have someone else that will monitor those comments for me. Keeps me from getting too focused on the positive comments and it also keeps me from being distracted with the negative.
3. I am no longer going to use Technorati to search out blogs that have posted about me or Pine Ridge Church. Again, good or bad posts.
4. I will never again engage into a discussion with a blogger if I happen to stumble across a blog that has allowed negative comments or has posted something negative about me or Pine Ridge Church.
5. I will no longer receive emails directly from my blog. Those emails will also be filtered by someone else.
6. I will no longer receive incoming links to my blog. I have also turned off the option in wordpress to see the incoming links where other people have posted to my blog.
7. I will no longer address my critics [period]. One thing I have learned about negative critics…they are always right [ALWAYS], and if you don’t engage in their argument then somehow you are less spiritual, less biblically founded, less spirit-driven, and you become the prideful and arrogant one. Of all the negative critic blogs I have read the last few days…all I see is men who are full of pride, who are convinced that their way is the only way, and that this generation is full of false teaching and false doctrine. They lump every young pastor into the same category and assume every young church is full of young 20 somethings that flip the bird to the generation before them and have completely disowned any sort of reverence and doctrine. It’s utterly ridiculous and at this point become a complete joke! Why would I ever waste my energy arguing or disputing with someone that is convinced they are always right? Yeah…I am the prideful one [that's sarcasm...see you have to explain everything you say to them too]! Here is the deal…we don’t see eye to eye…NEVER WILL! You think you are right and I don’t really care what you think. We won’t change for you and we don’t listen to you…you do not have a voice and our conversation is officially over. Okay now I will officially no longer address my critics!

Well, that’s it! Now, we can get back to business as usual here at TaddGrandstaff.com. The parameters are in place and I am sticking to them. I have too many things to deal with to lose focus on the blogging world. I have too many great relationships with so many of you. I refuse to allow a few people to ruin it. So, for all of you that I am in contact with on a regular basis, the blogs I read, those that read mine, and the emails we exchange…nothing changes.

To the others of you that fall into the “them or they” category…you have been officially shut off from my radar…which means I won’t see what you write, don’t care to know what you think, and won’t be reading to find out! PEACE!!