It’s March, and its time for the annual SBC Voices Blog Madness to tip off!
The opening round has concluded and the top four in each bracket has advanced. Look for the Round Two post later this afternoon.
Things are a little different this year. Gone are the powerhouse blogs that dominated the madness in years past. This year we are celebrating “Blue Collar” blogs – those average blogs that have some great things to say. The rule is simple – if you are on our blogroll (the Featured list on the main page) you aren’t eligible. I asked for nominations and I’ve got the four regionals
Here’s how the Madness works. In round 1, you will get to vote for 4 blogs in each regional to go through to the Sweet Blogteen (wow, that is getting corny even for an Iowan, isn’t it?) Then, in round two, you will vote for one blog from each regional for the Final Four. Then, of course, round three will select our Blue Collar Blog Champion for the year. The winner will be placed on our blog roll and his (or her) posts will be featured there.
There may also be a large cash prize, but probably not.
What are the rules? Vote. Campaign. We encourage shameless electioneering. Put up a link on your site and announce the contest, then send your friends over here to vote, vote, vote. The field is wide open this year. You don’t have to contend with Ed Stetzer, Trevin Wax, Tim Brister or those other blogs that made the final four every year. The field is wide open this year.
I’d also encourage you to take the time to browse some of our blogs that you don’t read. You might find some you want to read regularly. I did.
So, here are the regionals. They were selected by super computer based on a secret formula and 11 secret herbs and spices. There are thirteen (13) (10+3)(one more than 12) blogs in each regional. Apologies to Danny Akin and Chuck Kelley! We only have 4 regionals and there are 6 seminaries, so two of you had to go.
And I would like to apologize in advance to anyone whose blog I left off. At my age, I’m forgetful.
Voting will end promptly whenever we decide to end it and move on to the next round.
Let the Madness Begin!
Southern Regional
- Brian Croft, Practical Shepherding
- Doug Hibbard, Doug Hibbard’s Blog
- Mike Bergman, Unjust Justified
- Brandon Smith, Modern March
William W Birch(blog no longer online)- Joshua Breland, The Daily Bleat
- Chris Roberts, Seek the Holy
- Pastor Ricky, Panta ta Ethne
- Justin Childers, CROSS-Eyed
- Jeff Wright, Jeff Wright’s Blog
- Joel Rainey, Themelios
- Apologia Appalachia (Mountain Theology)
- Thomas Hill, For His Glory
[polldaddy poll=6038239]
Southwestern Regional
- Anthony Russo, Throw Away Everything
- Thom Hunter, Signs of a Struggle
- David Brumbelow, Gulf Coast Pastor
- Brad Whitt, Brad Whitt
- Eric Schumacher, An Infant in a Cradle
- Justin Nale, Torches and Bonfires
- Josh Buice, Delivered by Grace
- Alan Knox, The Assembling of the Church
- Todd Littleton, The Edge of the Inside
- Josh Collins, NYC Disciples
- Shawn Thomas, shawnethomas
- Rastis, Changefish
- Emily Poling, Emily’s Blog
[polldaddy poll=6038246]
Midwestern Regional
- Mike Leake, Borrowed Light
- Dan Barnes, Thoughts of J. Dan Barnes
- Andrew Wencl, Missions Outlook
- Ken Hamrick, Biblical Realist
- Eric Carpenter A Pilgrim’s Progress
- Jim Duggan, Jim’s Gems
- Frank Gantz, FrankGantz.com
- Joe Blackmon, Hear God Speak
- Tim Rogers, Southern Baptist in NC
- Aaron Davis, Renewed Mess
- John Thweatt, A Glory-Driven Blog
- Jim Pemberton, Reformed Reactions
- Courtney Reissig, In View of God’s Mercy
Golden Gate Regional
- Jeff Musgrave, Jeofurry’s Jesus Journey
- Jared Moore, Jared Moore
- Ann Hibbard, The Joy of Writing
- Stephen Young, Beyond Outreach
- Ryan Perz, By His Grace
- Joel Taylor, 5 pt. Salt
- John Wylie, Powerful Precepts
- Paul Thompson, The Bridge
- Eric Redmond, A Man from Issachar
- Michelle Leslie, Michelle Leslie
- Strider, Tales from Middle Earth
- Patrick Schreiner, Ad Fontes (to the Fountain)
- Travis Peterson, Travis’ Blog
[polldaddy poll=6038261]
I perused some blogs I’d never been to to fill out the bracket. There are some good writers out there. Check them out.
“We encourage shameless electioneering.”
Does this qualify? 🙂
Win a FREE JOHN PIPER book–just vote for me.
http://scripturealone.blogspot.com/2012/03/free-john-piper-book-vote-for-infant-in.html
It obviously qualifies according to Dave’s wording….I’m sure a smear campaign can also fall into “shameless electioneering” 🙂
A “smear campaign” in relation to Southern Baptist blogging?
Nah, that could never happen!!! You must be smoking that stuff that Pat Robertson wants legal. 😉
No, smear campaigns are totally acceptable, as long as you include a reference to Matthew 23.
I’m glad we got to vote for 4 people in each bracket. I would have had trouble voting for myself otherwise!
Eric sure got the spirit, with the giveaway.
The sad thing is, not one person has entered (and I’m dead serious). And, I’m losing!
Things sure have changed since I was young. Why, when I was in seminary the seminarians would have cut James out of their Bibles for a free John Piper book.
Eric, theBridge is in the Golden Gate Region. I’ll cut you a deal, I’ll vote for your blog, you vote for mine and you won’t need to send me a John Piper book… (by the way, I’ve enjoyed reading your blog this evening.)
You’ve got it, Paul!
I’ll vote for you. You vote for me. We’ll both vote often.
It’s like Baptist pulpit-swapping meets the Mafia. Let’s hope Dave doesn’t end up with a horse head in his bed.
I did it… Voted, that is… I know nothing about the horse head Dave.
No animals were harmed in the conduct of this tournament.
I’m willing to trade votes with anyone in the other regions… (shameless? oh yes.)
My bracket here looks like my ncaa bracket :). I can bought – any takers in next round?
Tim, my blog; theBridge, is in the Golden Gate Region. (What’s your price?)
Outright vote buying? Wow.
No, let’s call it “fellowship-building” – then its okay.
See what you’ve done, Dave!?
You invited all these Baptists to the Big Dance and integrity goes out the window. Who decided to allow dancing on this blog anyway!?
I have begun my begging campaign online again this year, working on my shameless blog post as I type this. It almost got me out of the first round last year, even when I was up against the big boys. Hopefully, I will have better results this time around.
Actually, I was really glad to see that I was included in the field again this year. I have been so absentee around here lately that I was afraid I might have been forgotten.
Shameless plug ~ don’t be picky, vote for ricky! i will take any and all votes that i can…
consider helping a guy out!
Ricky, are you “Pastor Ricky?” I looked all over your blog for your last name!
yeah, that would be me!
… If I have to kiss one more baby in politicking for a vote …
If my votes here shake out like my NCAA picks, you don’t want my vote.
It didn’t help 50% of the teams I picked for yesterday. And that’s better than last year for me.
If you lost 50% of your picks on the first day, one of two things is at work.
1) You swung for the “Cinderalla” fences, picking a lot of underdogs hoping to strike gold.
2) You are REALLY bad at this.
I pick based on…well, I have no idea how I pick. Considering I have told more funny jokes today than I have watched basketball games this year, that should give you a clue.
A certain “Larry Hibbard” says that you were the nut that didn’t fall far from the tree, and landed on your head on the way down.
A certain “Larry Hibbard” is forgetting about the high impact of nature over nurture.
And about who controls the cookie supply for his grandchildren.
There aren’t many women on the Baptist blog circuit, but we have several in the tournament.
Ann Hibbard deserves some consideration, simply because of the last name she adopted. Being married to Doug merits some consideration.
Emily Poling and Michelle Leslie both write excellent blogs.
I was especially impressed with Courtney Reissig’s blog, “In View of God’s Mercy.” It’s worth consideration, as are all of these blogs from the distaff side of blogdom.
Vote for me and all your wildest dreams will come true.
true story.
Thank you, Mr. Obama.
As we move into the last couple of days of Round 1, all four regionals are wide open.
How long before round one voting closes? Is there a set time?
Wow. I feel like Memphis. Should have had a chance, but I’m just toast.
On to real sports. How many days until the first pitch?
A blog that has had 7 posts in 4 months is winning the first region. There must be some inventive voting going on. 🙂
It just has a cooler name. That’s a winning strategy, right there…
That must be mine you are referring too… my apologies for slow blogging, with selling our house, packing and moving twice in 3 weeks, completing 30 hours of seminary in two semesters (and currently finishing up my final course for my MA), resigning my pastorate as we pursue missions/church planting… it has been a challenging season, but just for you, I will commit to posting at least 2X this week! HA!
Wait, Ricky, you mean life’s been in the way of your blogging? How in the world could you let that happen?
Besides, yours has a cool name.
The “William W Birch” blog is no longer online. So, we’re going to drop him from this contest. Thanks for the tip.
Dave might has some elaboration later, but deleting the blog would clearly remove you from this contest.
I have just landed an endorsement for theBridge should my blog make it to the next round. I’m very excited about this (because we all know that an endorsement from the right people at the right time makes all the difference.)
Every time I tried to vote in the poll I got an error message.
“This poll can not find nonce.”
These votes come out only through prayer & fasting.
Bravo, sir.