Tell Me About Yourself...


"Could you send us a short bio introducing yourself?"

Yes. I can. But I don't really want to. I don't relish writing bios. Where to start?

I could always use the 'twitter bio' format for this. 

"Today's preacher is Jeff Fox-Kline: father, husband, pastor, child of God"

That says almost nothing about me.

Or I could list hobbies.

"Jeff Fox-Kline likes to bake bread, knit, jog, ride his bike, and read"

That says very little about who I am, plus if I list those as my top favorite things then there's some expectation that I'm good at those things. I'm ok at some of them, but really just kind of like to do them. To be clear, I actually am good at reading, but that isn't much of a brag.

Or I could try to get clever while still be vague.

"Jeff Fox-Kline comes from midwestern roots and passes his time doing what comes his way. He can be found with his family enjoying the spoils of what Madison has to offer"

However I write it, it feels like any bio is inadequate to communicate who I am. 

Because I'm complicated. Not uniquely so, but in the same way that everyone else is complicated. Writing a bio can give the basic outline of who I am, but by the time you've read it you likely only have a shade of knowing me. Same thing with you. And you. And you (This is presuming only three people will read this).

We have a habit of trying to reduce people down to the most basic parts. What do you do? Where are you from? What do you like? 

One thing that brings me joy in ministry is that I get the chance to explore the complexity of people. I get to meet people and learn more than the narrative that we so often let define us. In that complexity I get to see some of the beauty that too often gets overlooked.

I'll still submit bios, but I'm so glad that after I do so we can take the next step of relationship together.

Peace,

Jeff Fox-Kline

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