Running for Blacksburg Town Council

It's been a long, waffling process. I finally sleuthed out where to go and pick up papers to fill out for candidacy. I couldn't find anything online about how to begin the process, nor where to go. After a few misfires, I finally had the papers in hand. And there they sat as I continued to ask myself,do you really want to do this?

I corresponded with our church's Leadership Board over the weekend to get their thoughts and impressions. I didn't want to enter the process if they were not supportive. In the end, it's Monday morning, and though it's last minute, I'm not late. I need 125 signatures on election petitions in order to be placed on the November ballot. (You must be a registered Blacksburg voter to sign.)

Why am I attempting to run?

Let me try to sum up my thoughts and rationale for running:

First of all, I'm a citizen, and I believe that all citizens should serve at some level. This is true on a number of levels. You want all your employees engaged, all your church members ministering. It's about lending your voice, resources, experience, wisdom, personality and perspective to the process for a season.

Second, I love politics.I hate to confess that. I love the idea of working with a wide variety of people, opinions and worldviews to produce a beneficial outcome that blesses a wide range of people.

Another reason is that I'd like to extend my relational circles in our community. Leading a church can be a rather insular experience. As I encourage our members to be the church, I cannot avoid getting involved in the community myself. As a leader, I too, must invest and find ways to serve that corresponds to my strengths and aptitudes and interests.

Another reason in conjunction with the last is to avoid hypocrisy. I wrote in my book Super Center Savior:

If you're consistently involved in the activities and ministries of your church but not in your community, you may be attempting to meet your own religious needs rather than the needs of others.

I must model what I preach and what I ask the members of our church to do. I can't say "get involved in the community," and remain immersed in activities that remove me from involvement in our community.

Finally, there are some things that I'd like to see addressed better locally. I don't know that alone I'd be able to make a difference, but I'd like my voice to be able to give other people in the community a voice that feel like they don't have one on the Blacksburg Town Council.

I'll be out and about for a good part of the day. If you're willing, I'd appreciate you signing a petition to get me on the ballot.