WELCOME TO KEEN TO CONVENE!

Hi friends!

This is Lisa Smiley and Aaron Wong writing from Southern California. We are siblings, dedicated Christians, who felt the urgent need to start a blog concerning the current events of our time.

There are many blogs out there about current news, politics, and the Christian faith. Why did we feel the need to add another blog to the thousands upon thousands already in existence?

Well, both of us are avid readers of current news and politics. However, it seemed to us that there was not much discussion in the blogosphere or on the internet about political issues through the eyes of young Christians like us. There seemed a lack of introductory information about how Christians should approach politics and think about the major events currently happening in our nation and abroad. Even we, keen readers of the news, were confused about why this or that Christian leader was telling us to support this law or vote to overturn that law or support such and such person for the presidency. What were the reasons to compel believers to take an active stance on topics like the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage? Why weren’t other equally important topics like poverty or education discussed with such frequency?

Hence began our journey to figure out the Christian basis of political participation. In the last year or so, since the exciting race for the presidential nominations began, we have been poring through a whole host of political and philosophical books and sorts. We were amazed at the magnitude of information available to us. Our excitement could not be contained and we began sharing these things with our friends and family. But alas, it became too clear that much of it was uncommon knowledge. Here we were, only a few months away from the elections and many of us were ill-informed or misinformed about the most pressing issues happening politically. Our hearts grew heavy. We discerned a pressing need to share and discuss these findings with other believers.

In short, that is why we resolved to start this blog. Too much of what is happening right now on the national scale is either being ignored, misunderstood, or disdained by Christians. But this should not be so! Nonetheless, it seems that many of us don’t know how politics or social issues have anything to do with being a Christian.

Many may ask, is it not enough to share the gospel and live a quiet, peaceable life, as is commanded in the Bible? Unfortunately, it is not. Like other Western nations, America was built upon democratic values. Our democratic society demands of us active participation in the governing of the nation, in enacting laws, and in steering the future of this country. We Christians cannot retreat into our own circles when the opportunity is given to us to uphold righteous values and principles that preserve freedom and maintain justice. As citizens of this nation, we cannot forfeit this right and duty.

We are living in a record era of political and social change. It is of prime importance for us believers to sit up and take notice of what’s going on in our present nation and engage ourselves in these issues to discern the right Christian response.

So, we are calling fellow Christians to join us in involving ourselves in the political conversation of our nation. Indeed, this is a right and duty we cannot forfeit. Will you join us for this purpose?

In the upcoming weeks and months, we will explore different issues that are at present being discussed, debated, and decided upon in the political and social arena. These topics include the presidential race, the Iraq War, the economy, the sanctity of life and of marriage, healthcare, and many others. Furthermore, we will discuss the reasons why Christians should engage in politics, the differences between liberalism and conservatism, and why one or another political stance seems more in line with biblical, Christian principles.

We would love for you to convene with us. Thanks for reading!