Into All the Digital Universe – Part 4: Blogging
Habakkuk 2:2 – The LORD answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it.
So we have covered Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and the need for social media in the church today. It is a very media-centric world. God calls us to be in the world but not of it. Today, being of the world means finding past lovers on Facebook, over-contextualizing the Gospel on Twitter, and risk losing the title of “above reproach” on Instagram. But we are called to be in that world. It is how souls will get won. We need to meet Satan in the trenches on the frontline of the battle, and this is one of those fronts.
One more of those fronts is blogging. There are many out there who say the blogging world is dead today. The next generation of blogging is coming and that this is a thing of the past. If that is the case, then why are there still so many readers of blogs around the world? It is because there are blogs about every little thing out there. You want a blog about applying makeup? There are plenty. You want a blog about improving your golf swing? Yep, there are those. You want a blog about how to eat a Maryland blue crab steamed and spiced with Old Bay? You got it. And if you want to find blogs about Biblical topics? You can find more than you would ever be able to read in 10 lifetimes.
And guess what?
Not all those Biblical blogs are, well….biblical!
Romans 1:26 – For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
You can find someone somewhere blogging about things that they believe and fitting the Bible into their beliefs, not their beliefs into the Bible. You see, THAT is the danger with blogging. Once you post your views, they are on the world wide web for everyone to see. When I started writing this blog series, my blog had been read in 58 countries worldwide. As of today, that number has grown to 62. That means that if I post something heretical, then it gets seen in as many as 62 different countries currently. That is a lot of pressure to put any preacher or saint under!!! I’m blessed to have a seminary degree under my belt. But not everyone that has a blog that posts about Christ graduated seminary. (lol, that can both be a good thing and a bad thing, by the way) There are numerous blogs out there that preach not just incorrect information, but flat out rebellion to Scripture. With the potential to reach billions of people, it is no wonder that there is danger in posting.
But with the majority of young adults getting their Biblical teaching from a blog that someone posts in a tweet or on a Facebook wall, the need is great for us to get deep-rooted Scriptural teaching in the hands of everyone.
This means that all pastors need to blog.
I understand the need for time. It is a precious commodity. Especially for pastors who not only need to spend 20 hours preparing a sermon, going to visit people in the hospital, performing weddings and funerals, running Bible studies, but also have to make sure all the toilets in the church are unclogged, the windows are cleaned, and all the bills are paid. And this happens while they are growing their family who needs them as well. As a matter of fact, I am writing this at almost 12:30 AM on a Monday right now.
While blogging can be both time-consuming and potentially dangerous if unbiblical views are posted, there are many reasons that pastors should blog. First, blogging creates in the writer spiritual formation. Many Christians do not study their Bibles. Unfortunately, many pastors don’t study, or even preach from, the Bible. When I blog, I find a single verse that I study before writing. I will do a systematic theological study of that verse with other verses it is tied to in the Old and New Testaments. I spend about an hour studying the Greek and/or Hebrew meanings of the words. This is all forming in me a knowledge of the Bible. It is creating a spiritual discipline in me. Not only does this help me understand Scripture deeper, it will hopefully help others to research the verses I use in my blog.
Next, blogging develops my leadership skills. While I am studying and writing about my topic, I have occasionally sent off previews of my blog to others around the world to get their thoughts before I post. It opens up conversations with others around the world, from different denominations and even faiths, to hear their point of view. It has also been used as a resource to others. At least 4 times my blog has been cited in some seminary student’s research paper.
Finally, blogging provides outreach to billions of people worldwide. There are communities in the world that have no access to a Christian missionary, but they may have a computer. This gets the Word of God into their village. This is a great tool for engaging others and shaping conversations internationally.
So pastors should blog.
All Bible-believing, Holy Spirit-led pastors should blog.
I pray this series has sparked some thought in you. Thoughts that perhaps you can get online and increase your ministry reach. In today’s world, it is so very important that we have a presence in it and not fall to the fringe of those who let technology stop the spreading of the faith.
Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
boyradd 