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Blogging pastors
Abraham Piper (John’s son) is encouraging pastors to blog, and he gives six reasons why they should:
1. …to write.
2. …to teach.
3. …to recommend.
4. …to interact.
5. …to develop an eye for what is meaningful.
6. …to be known.
Piper, who fleshes out these reasons here, points out, “It will give you access to your people’s minds and hearts in a unique way by giving them a chance to know you as a well-rounded person.”
My pastor blogs (or at least he has a blog, but he hasn’t been posting much lately!), does yours? And for all you pastors out there, what are your thoughts on blogging or not blogging?
Topic: Religion, WorldMagBlog
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back to top26 Comments to “Blogging pastors”
Imagining my pastor blogging is hilarious….
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I have a blog, but I have difficulty blogging every day, and lately I’ve not been very active. It takes a great deal of discipline to blog so that says something about me.
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Our church had a blog for one sermon series last year, and I was hoping it would continue, but it didn’t. The point wasn’t to give the pastor one more place to express his ideas but to get other people to participate in a conversation about the sermon topics. And only a few of us did.
One of the churches we used to attend, before my husband became a pastor (and he doesn’t have a church now – if he did he would probably blog), recently called a new pastor (the previous pastor was called to a ministry in Africa to the missionaries and pastors there). The new pastor has started a blog (which he calls his e-pistle), which I enjoy reading, but he only posts once a week. And so far there have been very few comments. His blog requires registration in order to comment, which I haven’t gotten around to yet.
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TJ has a blog (it should be linked to his name, but I’ll check on that…)at http://www.gairneybridge.reformedblogs.com
He posts his sermons, as well as other stuff that may be of interest. He probably posts on an average of once a week. I know a few of our church members have checked out, but not enough so that they’ve commented on the blog itself.
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TJ has a blog? Dude! Righteous!
Uh oh, I hope he doesn’t wear jeans and a silk shirt… (see Real Preacher of Genius thread)
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I blog at http://www.provocativechurch.com in order to learn how to write, share my life with my church and friends, and connect with other pastors.
And I have a blog called http://www.ministrybestpractices.com in order to process and work through the ministry issues that I have with my staff and volunteers. I blog not be put out there as an expert, but to learn from others.
The connections and networking that happens through blogging is awesome. It takes some time to work it in as a discipline, but it is worth the time and effort.
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I wish more ministers/pastors would participate in the threads here, if only to keep a lid on some of us, myself included.
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How does this relate to the preisthood of believers?
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NJL – Most pastors I know are severely overworked (along with undercompensationed and overcriticized). I would wonder about having a lot of parsotrs with the time to do a lot of playing here.
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NJL
Most active pastor’s don’t have time to post. Visiting the sick in hospital’s and their homes, counseling those who need help. Their isn’t time, most pastors are very busy within the church, not to mention they have families which need attention. Much time is also spent in study, preparing messages, and speaking to other groups.
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#8
Reg,
A pastor’s blog seems like an excellent way to encourage all believers to contribute to each other, not just listen to the pastor. Lots of pastors put their sermons on web pages, but a blog invites interaction, not just reading what he says but responding to it. People can add insights they have had, tell what God is doing in their lives, ask questions that challenge the pastor and others to dig deeper, explore how a lesson works out in the details of different people’s lives.
I’d love it if our church had an active blog. This one is good, up to a point, but one that included people I could actually meet in person would be even better.
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Pauline
Many pastor’s have what they call ‘The pastor’s Class’ in this way a pastor has a topic, which is discussed with those who want to interact with the pastor, asking questions.
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I am a pastor who enjoys blogging at http://www.rayfowler.org. I mostly blog to share information that I have found interesting and to connect with other people as well. People at my church seem to enjoy the blog as it gives them another way to interact with their pastor.
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Travis,
Have no fear! TJ can usually be caught wearing jeans and some form of Georgia paraphernalia!
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Victoria,
TJ visits the sick, fellowships with the healthy, prepares a Sabbath sermon, teaches Sabbath School and Wednesday study, maintains the church website, acts as church secretary, takes seminary classes (Th.M–he has his M. Div already), and still blogs weekly and participates here. Granted, we don’t have children that need raising, but everybody makes time for what they want to do.
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Some of us, many of us, perhaps even most of us would not know how to begin. I would think that most pastors would welcome the opportunity to discuss relevant issues with others, especially their congregations. This is a large part of what we are all about. But, this (blogging) is a world that the responders here live in. I would guess that for those of us in the pulpit that is not the case. Perhaps a conversation with your pastor and an offer of help? I would think that registration (if I understand what that is) would be important. For personal conversation I would need to know who I am responding to or hearing from.
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Hi Cameron 15
As my father was a pastor, I’m very aware of the time constraints. It depends upon how large the church, the area, and those who are elderly or those who are very sick. My dad spent hours, upon hours daily visiting the sick. He was called by those who had NO pastor, but wanted someone to visit, and my dad NEVER said no. Sometimes dad would come home as late as 10:30 after spending time at the VA hospital.
YOU WRITE:…… : “Granted, we don’t have children that need raising, but everybody makes time for what they want to do.
Pastor’s make time for what GOD calls them to do, it is HIS calling it’s not what THEY want to do but what GOD calls them to do. No one is called to to the same things, we must always keep this in mind.
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Our pastor has just begun to discover the wonders of email … but he can’t type. Blogging just ain’t gonna happen for him … ever.
We have a younger assistant pastor, but he won’t blog because there is a danger someone might disagree with his sermon.
Blogging takes humility and a thick skin because you may get blasted. I admire pastors who have these qualities.
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Victoria,
Are you saying that pastors should have no hobbies? No free time? No time to recharge spiritually and emotionally for the work they do?
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Cameron
YOU WRITE:…..
“Are you saying that pastors should have no hobbies? No free time? No time to recharge spiritually and emotionally for the work they do?”
Come now Cameron, I didn’t say that, nor did I intimate such a thing.
Some pastors can’t sing, so they wouldn’t sing a solo on Sunday morning, some pastors aren’t athletic, and would find a game of baseball anything they would choose to do, and then ‘there’s blogging’ some would, some wouldn’t.
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it is HIS calling it’s not what THEY want to do but what GOD calls them to do
I have no idea what you mean in #20, but the above quote of yours is why I wrote #19.
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Cameron,
What pastors do within the context of their Church activities was what I was referring to.
Hobbies are another subject.
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Thanks, Victoria. Much clearer! We were talking past each other.
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OK…so how do I blog???
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OK…so how do I blog? This is all pretty new to me.
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Desert
What seems to be the problem? You have obviously logged in. Do you have something to say?
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