How Did Jim Yohe Do It???

[TopDog]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

I agree with Newman that part of what made FCF great was monthly articles written by some of the gifted writers on controversial subjects.

It might be a good thing to arrange to have some write such an article in a section of this forum, and have a thread linked directly to that article. Then the simpletons, such as myself, can write one or two sentence opinions of the article!

I had to sign in and second this thought. What got me interested in FCF - way back in the day - were the articles and NOT the discussion forum. I later participated in the discussions and saw a certain level of intellectual debate that has been waning for some time now on nFCF, AFF, etc. I think a few factors are at play here:

1. The lack of the "articles" component that was central to FCF
2. The way that so many issues have been discussed "to death". There's just no meat left on the bone...
3. The shifting landscape within some Apostolic circles, especially the UPCI - gets reflected to some extent in the forum discussions.
4. A tendency by some to avoid real discussion, perhaps out of "topic fatigue", and jump straight into a defensive stance that usually has a messy overtone...

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by josh

Newman, when I joined Bro Yohe didn't have the capability of archiving or carrying anything over to the next month. We just started all over.

Then he got vbulletin, or something...and that was not long before you wrote articles.

All of the great conversations Bro Yohe initiated with his articles on the Tenneys and TBN were lost.

Jim and myself had a quite heated discussion via pm over two different articles I did not at first understand the concept but after our discourse I was convinced he was correct in his theory of airing the matter. All those discussions with Newman and them Elder Blume and here came the Branhamites were fun. I think the discussions between Elder Blume and Elder Chalfant and Parson was the best you could have gotten of those topics all three were students and articulate. Newman and Sab were great.

[ReformedDave]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

Jim and myself had a quite heated discussion via pm over two different articles I did not at first understand the concept but after our discourse I was convinced he was correct in his theory of airing the matter. All those discussions with Newman and them Elder Blume and here came the Branhamites were fun. I think the discussions between Elder Blume and Elder Chalfant and Parson was the best you could have gotten of those topics all three were students and articulate. Newman and Sab were great.

Good post!

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by ReformedDave

Good post!

You know some of us had some heated but informative discussions on Calvinism did we not???? And while it did get very hot we remained friends of course we could not helped it we were predestined to do it!

[ReformedDave]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

You know some of us had some heated but informative discussions on Calvinism did we not???? And while it did get very hot we remained friends of course we could not helped it we were predestined to do it!

Those were the days. It's good to see what one believes and if it can stand the test of scrutiny.

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

You know some of us had some heated but informative discussions on Calvinism did we not???? And while it did get very hot we remained friends of course we could not helped it we were predestined to do it!

Great series of posts Pastor Epley. I miss the old days as well, regardless of the fact that I couldn't tell a Branhamite from a Spamanite...

I miss trading one-liners with Brother Groce too...

[retsambeW]

Jim gave FCF a flavor that remained even after his passing. However, as life goes, when you add other seasonings to the mix, the taste changes. All of us that were involved added some things that caused FCF to explode with growth after Jim's untimely demise. That can happen here, also.

If you can get good writers to write, bring back the article/issue oriented threads, you would be amazed what would happen here.

It may not seem related, but at the start, the articles were what pushed us...the general area was something we never expected to take off, but it did as a result of the "hook" of the articles. You give folks a hook, they will catch themselves...if you get what I am saying.

Make sure the articles are balanced between conservative, liberal, and moderate.

[Barb]

Originally Posted by retsambeW

Jim gave FCF a flavor that remained even after his passing. However, as life goes, when you add other seasonings to the mix, the taste changes. All of us that were involved added some things that caused FCF to explode with growth after Jim's untimely demise. That can happen here, also.

If you can get good writers to write, bring back the article/issue oriented threads, you would be amazed what would happen here.

It may not seem related, but at the start, the articles were what pushed us...the general area was something we never expected to take off, but it did as a result of the "hook" of the articles. You give folks a hook, they will catch themselves...if you get what I am saying.

Make sure the articles are balanced between conservative, liberal, and moderate.

Good post...excellent points well made. Thank you for stopping by, Elder...

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by retsambeW

Jim gave FCF a flavor that remained even after his passing. However, as life goes, when you add other seasonings to the mix, the taste changes. All of us that were involved added some things that caused FCF to explode with growth after Jim's untimely demise. That can happen here, also.

If you can get good writers to write, bring back the article/issue oriented threads, you would be amazed what would happen here.

It may not seem related, but at the start, the articles were what pushed us...the general area was something we never expected to take off, but it did as a result of the "hook" of the articles. You give folks a hook, they will catch themselves...if you get what I am saying.

Make sure the articles are balanced between conservative, liberal, and moderate.

I agree with everything you say here.

Thanks for confirming the fact that FCF really took off after Jim's death. I remember this because I was diligently watching growth of the membership #s. It seemed like it was growing very slowly; the numbers had increased ....... and then *poof* .... Jim was gone but with that came a dramatic increase in membership #s.

The "flavor" did indeed remain for a long while after and you sir did a great job having to step in and take over the leadership.

Those were the days my friend ....

[revrandy]

Originally Posted by stmatthew

I have to be honest in saying that I am growing more and more bored towards the forum. I am finding less and less substance, and more and more bickering taking place. It is slowly becoming a "I know you are but what am I" type place.


At the beginning it was not so. Anyone that was at the original Faithchild Forum will tell you that there was a dynamic that was there like I have not seen since. There was heated discussions, and debates on subjects that still interest us today. There was still the views of those ranging from Conservative to Liberal there. But there was a respect for each other that caused most folks there not to become cynical, sarcastic, and attacking in their posts. So as I have pondered all this, I see that maybe it is that respect has come up missing. I really don't know.


Maybe some of you that where there can help us out?? How did Jim do it?? How did he make a forum where folks could discuss things the way we did then, and yet still be respectful?? And in your opinion, what can we do to duplicate it??

Matt..

I don't know if it's been said or not.. but I do believe the popularity and dynamics of the forum FCF was that there wasn't much to choose from out there at the time... now we have more and more to choose from... that may be why there is diminished interest....