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People often ask, “what is #WeirdChristianTwitter?” 
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There are many different parts that make up this “accidental community”
but I wanted to share the history behind the WCT List:
There are many different parts that make up this “accidental community”
but I wanted to share the history behind the WCT List:
The list started with a tweet I posted in July.
I asked if others had interest in following a list that had fellow Christians who were open to making new friends.
I tagged @justamyzing to spread the word.
I asked if others had interest in following a list that had fellow Christians who were open to making new friends.
I tagged @justamyzing to spread the word.
At this point the Weird Evangelical Twitter article by @christianitytoday recently came out and a few had banded around the #WEvaTwit hashtag. I mentioned it could kind of be part of that.
I did not have many followers at this point and I expected the list to cap at 50 people max, but the tweet gained a lot of traction.
I was afraid some responses had slipped through the cracks, so a month later I made another tweet asking who would like to follow and join.
I expected 5-10 responses.
I received 890.
I expected 5-10 responses.
I received 890.
Eventually the #WEvaTwit hashtag was changed to #WeirdChristianTwitter.
@justamyzing can give you the history of that.
@justamyzing can give you the history of that.
I noticed a similar theme amongst the many new “incomers.”
Many had experienced deep suffering: church hurt, divorce, loss, abuse, sickness, trauma.
Many had experienced deep suffering: church hurt, divorce, loss, abuse, sickness, trauma.
I’m a girl who spends a lot of time in her house. I have some chronic health issues.
I know what it’s like to feel so lonely that I thought it would kill me.
If I could help diminish that for one person, adding people manually to a list was worth it.
I know what it’s like to feel so lonely that I thought it would kill me.
If I could help diminish that for one person, adding people manually to a list was worth it.
The amount of replies reflected to me how desperate people were for connection and support.
I viewed it as an unexpected ministry during a terrible pandemic and wanted to be faithful in it.
I viewed it as an unexpected ministry during a terrible pandemic and wanted to be faithful in it.
The list now has over 1600 people on it.
I don’t think anyone around in the beginning expected WCT to become “a thing.”
It just happened.
None of us are trying to make money off of this but to simply respond to the needs in front of us.
I don’t think anyone around in the beginning expected WCT to become “a thing.”
It just happened.
None of us are trying to make money off of this but to simply respond to the needs in front of us.
As people joined, they started sharing about their needs for connection, some organic events started happening.
DM groups formed. Zoom calls happened. Holiday events were organized.
DM groups formed. Zoom calls happened. Holiday events were organized.
@WCTSocial was created to try to take some pressure off of a few of us who were being bombarded with notifications about how to get connected and be supported within the WCT community.
It was easier to point 1600 people to one account that RTed the recent zoom calls, online book club announcements, etc. than for a few of us to keep answering tons of the same questions.
When @WCTHelps was created, it was because someone had written a suicidal tweet and people did not know how to get in touch.
An idea formed simply from the desire to keep people alive.
An idea formed simply from the desire to keep people alive.
These handles were not started to formalize a brand. They were formed to help hurting people.
Real people with real pain.
Real people with real pain.
Now that WCT has gotten this big, it’s taken on a life of its own. Trying to define WCT is like “trying to nail jelly to a wall” as @revduv so eloquently said.
It’s impossible because it means different things to different people.
It’s impossible because it means different things to different people.
We are not a church. We do not follow a particular creed.
We are a group of humans who hang out online: we read books together, we raise funds when people are in need, we pray for one another, etc.
We are a group of humans who hang out online: we read books together, we raise funds when people are in need, we pray for one another, etc.
I know there are criticisms about WCT.
Those perspectives are not unwarranted and we each need to sit with hard words and discern if even 10% of it is true.
Those perspectives are not unwarranted and we each need to sit with hard words and discern if even 10% of it is true.
But we are also a group of almost 2,000 humans, and there’s going bound to be aspects that are redemptive and aspects that are unhealthy.
Every single one of us is a work in progress.
Every single one of us is a work in progress.
I do ask those who provide their critiques to give the same nuance and charity that you’d appreciate if you were part of forming an accidental community that blew up to almost 2,000 people.
Unless the person tweeted it, others who are a part of WCT cannot be held accountable for what other people say online who also use the same hashtag.
For me personally, I welcome anyone to call me out if I am not being gracious or if I am being reactionary or proud or in any way sinful.
But please do not ask me to be the twitter police. We are each accountable for our own words.
But please do not ask me to be the twitter police. We are each accountable for our own words.
If you’d like to be a part of the WCT community, we welcome you!
If you don’t, I’m still gonna love you and be rooting for you!
My twitter feed is not a WCT feed, it is from a girl who shares her thoughts and happens to run a list.
If you don’t, I’m still gonna love you and be rooting for you!
My twitter feed is not a WCT feed, it is from a girl who shares her thoughts and happens to run a list.
I’ve been meaning to share this thread for a while but keep forgetting.
I hope this can provide some helpful background info for everyone!
I hope this can provide some helpful background info for everyone!
