Increasingly, the Internet is making location an irrelevant category. That's not to say that location is irrelevant per se; but just that it's not all that important in the virtual world of the WWW. Even organic systems like communities can now exist across thousands of miles of real-space, when the Internet makes a worm-hole of sorts- and connects people in cyber-space. As an online magazine, Precipice exists as such. The people who have, are, and will write for the magazine- live in a variety of places in a variety of time zones (though so far the connections have been pegged to the continent of North America).

While Precipice is multi-locational in this sense, even an online magazine has a place where everything comes together. In this case, that ends up being where I, (Darren King - the senior editor) currently reside. And at the present time that geographical location would be Redmond, Oregon (USA). Though on previous occasions that point of convergence has been Vancouver, Washington (USA), Langley, B.C. (CANADA), Kelowna, B.C. (CANADA), and Knoxville, Tennessee (USA).

My personal background includes studies in philosophy, psychology, and world religion. I have a Biblical Studies degree from Trinity Western University. Over the last several years (besides being made, broken, and re-made by the Holy Spirit) I have served in a variety of roles including: coordinating an internship program for emerging leaders in the Vineyard churches of Western Canada, and serving on a team that planted a Vineyard church in Kelowna, B.C.

Currently, my wife, Serena, and I (along with our two children, Autumn and Ezra) are involved with a community of faith in Redmond, Oregon. We have only recently moved here to Central Oregon - the land of high desert, Ponderosa Pines, and volcanoes a plenty, and we're looking forward to seeing how God is going to form organic connections here in our new community. Our hearts are listening- so to speak.

For me, it is in the living, breathing, life of church where all the dialog and philosophy "takes on flesh" and makes our emerging/postmodern conversations real and significant. Put another way, it is only in local contexts that our global concepts can truly be applied in ways that actually bring about changed, multi-dimensional lives. Local community is essential because it involves the discipline of "doing life" with others; plural incarnation if you will.

Some have asked whether or not this magazine is an outreach or outpouring of a particular church community. The answer to this question is both- yes, and no. Yes, in the sense that those who write for the magazine are all Christians who affirm the statements made in the Apostle's Creed, and who feel like the issues addressed in Precipice are essential to the future of Christian community. No, in the sense that, as already mentioned, we do not live in the same place, nor are we all a part of the same denomination. Perhaps it should also be said that, neither do we always agree on all the answers. We certainly do agree on what most of the important questions are.

A diverse set of ecclesiological backgrounds belong to those of us involved with Precipice; including everything from Eastern Orthodoxy, to the house church movement (and everything in between). My personal place of belonging is with the Vineyard community of churches. Those of us involved with the magazine recognize that nearly all expressions of the Christian Church are becoming increasingly ecumenical- committed both to dialog and where possible- unity.

I see this ecumenical thrust of the 21st century as a very good thing. We all gain a larger (and therefore clearer) perspective when voices from different corners of the room are simultaneously describing the landscape. The landscape in this sense refers both to our present and emerging postmodern society, and to the present and emerging Kingdom of God. At a root level the interaction of these two is exactly what Precipice Magazine is all about.

My hope is very much that this list will be a growing one. There exists an open invitation to anyone who feels passionately about these issues, is currently engaged in "walking this out", and who feels writing is a vocation (i.e. a calling), to join the community of voices "heard" here. We are all on a journey. And like any journey, the ride is more enjoyable when you're not traveling alone. May God be our guide as we seek to engage each other and the World with the love of Christ.


--Darren King (Senior Editor)