The Pain of Being Blackballed by @Challies and @TGC

I have been blogging now since 2007.  Early on I was just getting my feet wet in blogging and nobody knew who I was.  Things have changed.  I now get to blog for SBC Voices which is a massive power blog of the SBC.  Seriously, we get things done at SBC Voices.  Thanks to the leadership of the green-suited Dave Miller we are THE voice for the SBC. 

Yet as I have been faithfully plodding away writing about all things gospel there are two places my blog has yet to appear: Tim Challies and The Gospel Coalition.  NOTE: Yes, one time a quote from Andrew Fuller that I posted was linked to by Jared Wilson.  But he is not, as far as I know, part of the conspiracy.

Since 2007 I have hosted numerous giveaways and other things that are very similar to what Tim Challies usually puts on his A La Carte.  Every morning I check Tim’s blog thinking that perhaps the curse has been lifted and they will let me in to their inner-circle via a link to their blog.  And every day I get the same response—NOTHING.  I have even emailed Sir Challies and asked him to post a link to a book giveaway.  He responded with some sort of quick response—“I’ll take a look at it”.  Yeah, sure you will Tim.  You’ll look at it, laugh, and then pass it on to your cronies to laugh at as well.  (To think that I even defended Tim Challies way back in 2008.  It’s worth noting he didn’t link to this article either).

The same thing has happened on Justin Taylor’s blog and a few of the others at The Gospel Coalition.  I have commented numerous times on his blog.  And not stupid comments either.  Really high quality comments and ones that encourage him to check out my blog and bask in my awesomeness.  Yet from the ninth wonder of the internet world, known simply as JT, I received the same response as Tim Challies—NOTHING. 

One especially painful experience has been the snubbing by Trevin Wax.  A couple years ago Trevin was kind enough to offer me some linkage love on his blog Kingdom People.  Now it is hosted by The Gospel Coalition.  Has Trevin linked to me since then?  Nope.  Once he began being hosted by TGC he apparently forgot that I existed and deleted me off his list of blogs to check out. 

It has become painfully obvious to me that I must have done something to tick off the Reformed Illuminati.  They have the power in the blogosophere and these turkey’s will not share it with anyone.  I assume that those that do get linked to by Challies and Taylor and the other big guns must be in on the conspiracy somehow.  Perhaps they have towed the line and they aren’t as dangerous of a blogger as yours truly. 

I had been praying about whether or not to expose this conspiracy.  Part of me wants to just let it die and build traffic the hard way.  I went to Band of Bloggers this year in Louisville, KY.  It was represented by folks from TGC (like Justin Taylor and Colin Hansen) and Tim Challies.  I figured that I would show up and enjoy watching them get nervous in my presence.  I wondered what they would do.  Would they address it?  Would they say hi?  Would they nervously glance away? 

The Snubbing Continues at Band of Bloggers

My friend Jason and I were waiting patiently outside the portal to enter Band of Bloggers.  We showed up a little early and ended up being some of the first ones to enter.  After a couple of minutes I noticed a guy that looked eerily familiar walking up the steps.  It was none other than THE Tim Challies.  He stopped and very arrogantly stood no more than 3 feet from me.  I could not believe that he was so brazen as to do this.  After all the snubs.  He didn’t even look at me, he didn’t acknowledge my presence, he didn’t even say “Hi, Mike”.  Once again from Challies I received—NOTHING! 

Perhaps Justin Taylor or the others on Band of Bloggers would be nicer and actually mention their snubbing the little guy.  That’s okay I could have handled even a veiled apology.  What did I receive from them?  NOTHING! 

So here I am exposing the conspiracy.  I’m not going to stand for it any longer.  I’m exposing these guys and getting tons of traffic as a result.  I cannot handle their snubs any longer.  These men must be exposed for the power-gluttons that they are. 

Now that you know the backstory of why I am doing this…Tomorrow I will expose these jokers for who they really are and explain what is REALLY behind this conspiracy.