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The Pastor as Godblogger
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, November 9, 2007
I’m currently at the GodBlogCon at the Las Vegas Convention Center. In former years GodBlogCon, a conference for Christians interested in the new media, convened at Biola University in Southern California. But this year GodBlogCon has joined up with the secular BlogWorld convention. Hence the new venue. I think it’s great that GodBlogCon has now gone out into the world, even into Las Vegas, which is not my favorite city.
This morning (Thursday) was the beginning of GodBlogCon. The keynote addresse was delivered by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jrl, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a leading blogger. Dr. Mohler’s address was a right on challenge to communicate God’s truth in a way that is both truthful and congruent with Christian faith. I’m hoping that he will put up his manuscript online so I can link to it. It was full of theological and practical wisdom.
Following Dr. Mohler was Dr. John Mark Reynolds, an associate professor of philosophy at Biola University, and another prolific blogger. Dr. Reynolds challenged us to blog in a way that seeks what is true, beautiful, and good. Moreover, he said we should live in the virtual world with authenticity as Christians, rather than making up some alternative persona.
I came next in line, presenting a message entitled: Taking Your Ministry to the New Media – The Pastor as Godblogger. This address was meant for pastors who blog (or might blog), though it was applicable to non-pastors as well. I presented 18 Theses on the Pastor as Godblogger. Here they are:
1. Some pastors should be bloggers.
2. Some pastors should not be bloggers.
3. Many pastors who are not bloggers today should become bloggers.
4. Some pastors who are bloggers today should stop, at least for a while.
5. Blogging can enrich a pastor’s ministry with the pastor’s own congregation, and this is sufficient reason for a pastor to blog.
6. Blogging can expand a pastor’s ministry beyond the pastor’s own congregation, and this is a strong though not sufficient reason for a pastor to blog.
7. Blogging can greatly expand the impact of a pastor’s teaching and preaching with the pastor’s own congregation.
8. Blogging can greatly expand the impact of a pastor’s teaching and preaching beyond the pastor’s own congregations.
9. Blogging can allow pastors to address topics that otherwise could not be addressed in the ordinary means of pastoral communication.
10. Blogging can provide an effective means for congregational communication and interaction.
11. Blogging can allow preaching to become more of a conversation and less of a one-way street.
12. Blogging can provide an excellent means for pastors to enhance the daily devotional lives of their congregations.
13. Blogging can help pastors get “out of the saltshaker and into the world.”
14. Blogging can make a pastor’s congregation nervous, even jealous.
15. Pastors should exercise caution in their blog topics, making sure that their blogging is first and foremost edifying to their congregations.
16. Pastors should talk with their leadership board (elders, deacons, vestry, etc.) before beginning to blog (or ASAP).
17. Pastors should communicate clearly with their congregation the purpose of their blog.
18. Pastors (and all other Christian bloggers) should see their blog as God’s blog, and should see blogging as part of their calling and stewardship of gifts.
What do you think about these theses?
Topics: Pastors and Churches, Blogging |
8 Responses to “The Pastor as Godblogger”
Comments
Thanks for your willingness to make a comment. Note: I do not moderate comments before they are posted, though they are automatically screened for profanities, spam, etc., and sometimes the screening program holds comments for moderation even though they're not offensive. I encourage open dialogue and serious disagreement, and am always willing to learn from my mistakes. I will not delete comments unless they are extraordinarily rude or irrelevant to the topic at hand. You do need to login in order to make a comment, because this cuts down on spam. You are free to use a nickname if you wish. Finally, I will eventually read all comments, but I don't have the time to respond to them on a consistent basis because I've got a few other demands on my time, like my "day job," my family, sleep, etc.
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November 9th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Mark - thanks for the great, concise list. I would have loved to hear the whole speech, as well as Drs. Mohler’s and Reynolds’. I especially appreciated the items that could be construed as having a more negative tone (e.g. some pastors should not be bloggers). These are important consideratons and will help pastors think about why they are blogging (or planning to). Just because it’s cool technology isn’t really enough, is it? As a member of my leadership team at church, I appreciate your direction back to the leadership board and to enhancing your dealings with your congregation, not taking away from them. In a pastor’s already crowded schedule, blogging can have a negative impact on the people you are called to serve, first and foremost, if you’re not paying attention. Looking forward to hearing more about the Godblogcon… Blessings!
November 9th, 2007 at 2:34 pm
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