Yes, he really did do 5000 of them:
Nearly 14 years ago (or a little over 5000 days ago), I began the ministry of CultureWatch. It is an interactive website in which I offer Christian commentary on the issues of the day. This piece happens to be the 5000th article posted. If your math skills are especially good, you can figure out my average daily output!
For those who are mathematically challenged, it turns out to be around one article per day. Given that an average article of perhaps around 1400 words may take a half hour or more to write, that means two things. One, it means I have penned some 7 million words here so far!
And I do plenty of other things, including speaking and teaching, writing submissions, meeting with others, ministering in Australia and overseas, etc. Plus there are all my normal duties as a husband and father. So I do manage to keep pretty busy. Thus getting 5000 articles out in the past 5000 days or so is not too shabby I guess.
So this is a bit of a milestone along the way. By God’s grace, if I live for another 14 years, and if this site is not shut down before then, I may be able to celebrate 10,000 articles written and posted. It keeps me off the streets at least. But hopefully it is of some use to others, and for the sake of the Kingdom.
Feedback
I trust that by the grace of God some good is being achieved through this ministry. I hope that it helps Christians to grow in their faith, to help them understand the issues that we face, and to become all they should be in Christ. And of course I hope it leads some people to become Christians.
If I may, perhaps I can share a bit of feedback that has come my way of late. These comments seem to indicate that something good for Christ and the Kingdom is coming out of the ministry of CultureWatch. Let me share some of this feedback with you.
Around four months ago a gal sent me this message: “Thanks so much Bill. You know I was reflecting with mum recently and I sincerely mean that your work over the years I’ve followed you has contributed to my faith in innumerable and profound ways. The impact is eternal. I will be gifting more when possible. And I truly praise God for you. So many crowns in heaven for you. Hope and pray another will take your baton and continue in the battle. You’re a Saint. Thanks”
A week or two later I posted this on the social media: “At one point I thought an American gal I liked might one day be part of my life. God had other plans, and brought an Australian woman into my life while a missionary in Holland. That is my main excuse for being here – apart from the perfect will of God!”
I went on to say this: “30 years ago we made the move to Melbourne from overseas. For three decades I have been involved in the culture wars, and defending the faith in the public square. By God’s grace, maybe I will still be at it for another 30 years!”
That seemed to touch some people. Within a few days it got nearly 400 likes and nearly 100 comments. Here are just a few of the remarks:
“Blessed man of God and God will continue to bless you, in all you have done achieved and grown and raised up the truth many are and continue to be challenged saved by the truth you give in Christ. Your work has not been in vain but blessed in everything. Thank you Bill Muehlenberg for your commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ and keep speaking out his word no matter seeds will be planted in strange places and normal places but God will grow them and water them we will always see fruit in Jesus name. And those who despise God’s word let them be handed over to God and we keep praying for their salvation in Jesus name.” -Eleanor
“Thank you, and God bless you, Bill. I guess it’s a mark of how dangerous you are to Satan’s plans, when you are attacked and reviled so much. But in the long run, these nasty little arrows will just leave your attackers with an empty quiver, and when they face God, they will be naked and defenceless. You have the Armour of God and the Sword of the Spirit, hope, peace and God’s strength to hold you up. You may never know how many lives you have impacted until you receive your reward….so keep on fighting, brother! Your words are precious gems in the mud and filth of a sad and Godless world.” -Jan
“Bill, Thank you for the gift you have been to our nation Australia. You have been a ‘voice’ speaking out as John the Baptist. It has cost you and your family dearly but you have held fast. I honour and respect you and thank you for your faithfulness and commitment to ‘stay the path’. Love and blessings and hoping we can catch up for a Chinese meal in the not too distant future.” -Diana
“I agree Bill Muehlenberg with the “gal” that recently sent you the above message. I only “found” you on Facebook a couple of months ago. However, let me tell you Bill, that “gal” is right when she states “… That you will receive extra Crown’s in Glory…” Your writing is excellent and fully convicted by The Holy Spirit of God. So Bill my Brother in The Lord, I thank you with all my heart.” -Marianne
“Always a champion in my eyes Bill Muehlenberg. You have changed my world and my future because of your love for Christ for He is The Truth! I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t met you.” -Emily
“I commend you Bill for all your dedication in defending Christianity and being involved in the Culture Wars, I’m glad you married an Aussie and answered God’s call in your life by using your gifts for over 30 years to glorify God and to equip others. All your articles are very helpful and anointed, I continue to be richly blessed by them, your life hasn’t been a bed of roses, you have paid a price for your faith but that hasn’t stopped you obeying God. Well done good and faithful servant, may God continue to bless your life and your whole family’s lives and may he continue to bless your very important ministry so you can continue to inspire others.” -Aris
“Congratulations Bill!!! Thank you so much for the incredible contribution you have made to the discussion on so many important issues. I’m still referring people to your website as a solid resource for political and theological commentary. May God bless you abundantly and keep you going for many years yet!” -Michelle
Those comments – and so many others like them – certainly are very encouraging, and also very humbling. (Although I might be tempted to ask, “Hmm, is it only females who seem to like this ministry?!”) But I guess that if I can have a small impact in the lives of some people, it is all well worthwhile, including all the abuse and hate and almost daily attacks that come my way.
And one more indication of some positive feedback actually happened a month or two ago at the Perth airport! I was about to fly back to Melbourne after some ministry in Perth. I saw a gal I knew who worked there, so I took her picture on my phone camera, but another customer had her head in the pic.
My friend mentioned my name to the stranger, and she got all excited. She knew of me, so she came up to me and gave me a brief hug. She said she heard me each week on Vision Christian Radio and was so blessed and challenged by my weekly interviews. She said she was so excited to finally meet me in person. There you go, you never know what impact you might be having on people.
But let me share perhaps the most encouraging bit of feedback of all. It involves a fellow who had been one of my greatest tormentors and persecutors for years on my website. For quite a long time he had sent in some rather nasty comments – a continual stream of hate and filth.
But incredibly he has been coming around of late. For example, last year he took down his own website which was devoted to purely hating on me, and he had been in touch to say he was turning his life around. Just a few weeks ago he sent this comment in to my site:
Dear Bill,
Wishing you a joyous Christmas from the UK. You are a man with broad shoulders, wisdom and kindness, in an all too rare combination. Thank you for continuing to be a tireless beacon for truth and justice, and for helping me personally to steer a course from darkness to reaching some way towards the light. Your forgiveness this year moved me to tears and I know I would not have found it anywhere other than from a man of profound and honest faith such as yourself.
I am a better man for having read and understood your articles. Once with my eyes closed. Now in the spirit of genuinely seeking truth and finding so much of value in what you say. The quotations here are rewarding and good food for thought.
God bless you and your family this Christmas, and thank you for all you continue to do. From a wretch who has needed saving from himself, and to hear the truth.
Wow, that was certainly the highlight of my year. Something like that of course is what makes this ministry all worthwhile. You never know who you might be influencing, and the seeds planted can bring forth new life by God’s grace. Thank you Jesus.
But of course for every comment such as that one, I regularly get many more hate comments, such as these two that came in recently: “Understand we will continue to make Christmas hellish for the Christian community until it is put in its place. You have been warned. Merry Xmas!??”
And this one: “It’s sad you so called good christians promote gods unconditional as is love yet in the same sentence talk about your hatred of those who are different or believe differently. No surprise here. Its all good until we disagree . God’s moto: My way or the highway. Guess what. Fu*k god and all of his a*s kissers. If hell is where this cosmic bully wants to put me, by all means allow me to turn the fire up myself.”
Oh well, a ministry like this attracts all sorts. So let me finish by saying thanks. Thank you to all those who have prayed for this ministry. And thank you to all those who have contributed financially. This is a faith ministry, with no income. I have a family to feed, and it is the generous gifts of so many of you that allow me to do that, and to continue this work.
And thank you to those who write in now and then and let me know that this work is of benefit and is worth continuing. I can get discouraged at times and wonder if it is worth keeping at it. But your words of encouragement help me to keep going.
Bless you all, and I hope to see you at 6000!
[2014 words]