This past Monday Michael Spencer passed away. He was 53. I never met him, but often read his blog and even more often listened to his podcasts. It feels strange to be mourning for someone I never met, but I feel pretty sad about the whole thing. The way he wrote connected with me, and with many others (as it turns out). I browse some blogs – but not many at all anymore. However, Michael’s was one I paid attention to.
I guess the thing that strikes me the most is the senselessness of the loss. I have seen this too often. He was young. He had a family. He was contributing in a meaningful way by teaching and being a chaplain for a Baptist School in the Appalachian Mountains that served as a missionary outpost as much as anything. His ministry was far from over as far as being fruitful and effective. His writings on the internet made his blog one of the top Christian blogs out there, and it constantly provided insight, honesty, grace, and encouragement for many Christians who were struggling with how to live out their faith in a crazy world. A couple of times I had an email written to him that I deleted. It would sound too silly, I thought. He probably gets too many of these things, I told myself. I had just wanted to tell him thank you and encourage him in what he was doing, but I didn’t. And now I wish I would have.
Here is one of the pieces that Michael wrote that stands out most in my memory.