Speaking at the recent GodBlogCon (a conference for Christians interested in new media), Mark Roberts delivered a message titled “Taking Your Ministry Into New Media – Pastor as Godblogger.” Mark submitted 18 theses, including these:
~ Many pastors who are not bloggers today should become bloggers.
~ Blogs can enrich a pastor’s ministry with the pastor’s own congregation, and this is reason enough for a pastor to blog.
~ 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.
~ Blogs can allow pastors to address issues that might not otherwise be addressed in ordinary pastoral communication media.
~ Blogs can allow preaching to become more of a conversation and less of a one-way street.
~ Blogs can provide an excellent means for pastors to enhance the daily devotional life of their congregations.
~ Blogging can help pastors get out of the salt shaker and into the world.”
~ Pastors should be careful in the topics of their blogs, making sure that their blogs are first and foremost uplifting to their congregations.
~ Pastors should talk to their leadership board (elders, deacons, vestry, etc.) before they start blogging (or as soon as possible).
~ Pastors should clearly communicate the purpose of their blog to their congregation.
~ Pastors (and all other Christian bloggers) should view their blog as God’s blog, and should view blogging as part of their calling and stewardship of gifts. (Click here to read the full blog posting on Roberts’ blog.)
