Blogging is not without its share of criticism, however it continues to rise both in popularity and in public awareness. As we continue to explore and evaluate the use, role and impact of new media technologies particularly as they apply to the operation of the Church, I thought I might offer a few constructive reasons to both read and write blogs.
Some of the benefits of blogging are particularly obvious. Others, I discovered quite by accident. They include…
- To share your faith
- To express yourself
- To make new friends
- To connect with others either like or unlike you
- To stimulate a diminishing vocabulary
- To increase your typing speed (until we VoIP)
- To explore a relatively new online technology
- To write "in the sandbox"
- To be published (do it yourself – quick, easy & free)
- To develop your voice
- To share information
- To build an informational resource for others
- To serve a group
- To be found by old friends
- To use time constructively
- To create an online work of art
- To find support in an area of need
- To battle fear (doing something new, taking risks, etc.)
- To entertain others or be entertained
- To share content (photos, journals, videos, music, etc.)
- To research something specific
- To develop an expertise in a particular area
- To build an online community
- To amplify a vocational calling – journalist, researcher, writer, poet, etc.
- To amplify a ministry calling – apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher
- To meet peers/collegues
- To solicit help in a particular area
- To create an online business card/resume/archive of work
- To ignite your creative/intellectual passion
- To create an online sphere of influence
- To advertise your business or church
- To explore your interests
- To improve your spelling
- To risk being vulnerable and known
- To develop and enjoy a hobby
- To erode your pride
- To stretch out of your comfort zones
- To practice the discipline of writing
- To reach, teach, train those you mentor
- To access new mentors in your life
Instructional guidelines for blogging can be found all over the Internet and include everything from how to write a post to proper online ettiquette. Like many other things, the best way to learn is through trial and error, with practice. When in doubt, follow this simple guideline: blog with either a point, a purpose, a passion or all three.
User-generated and driven content is rapidly gaining a momentum across the Internet and forcasters anticipate the impact of social networking will forever transform how we use the media. Whether you work for a church, serve at a church or simply attend church, you have a pre-existing social network that will eventually be spending more and more time online. Furthermore, the rise of the Emergent Church movement has brought the concept of "conversation" into the forefront of current Christian thought. Blogging facillitates open dialog because of its capacity to accept and respond to comments.
Great list! It touches on many if not all of the benefits I have realized through blogging.
That is a great list. When I think of blogging, I think of it in terms of communication. There are so many facets to human communication and technology has allowed us another form…and just like any other type of communication, it needs to be carefully and adeptly navigated and shouldn’t be the end all be all of our relationships. But as ONE piece of the puzzle, it’s a great one.
As an aside, do you think in lists? I do. I’m always thinking things like “these are the reasons why we should/n’t do x 1—– 2— hehe. I tend to preach that way too.
Wonderful list Cynthia! By the way, I totally enjoyed our all too short conversation last week and look forward to much more! New thought skeep popping up. In regards to your post, I would have to say that blogging has probably affected me in all the ways you mentioned, except perhaps for the impruved spilleing.
cheers.
B
love the list!
i really like reading your blog and want to read it more! This venue feels very comfortable and non-judgemental
Cynthia,
I enjoyed reading your list. Great reasons to blog, I connect with almost all of them.
Makeesha,
I found your comment about lists interesting. I find myself using lists in blogs more and more often. Though in everyday life (grocery lists, etc.) it’s always my wife and never me who writes lists–strange
Sadly blogging has failed to improve my spelling! But it has pretty much done all the rest – one of the weird but good things is that you get to interact with people who I would never have met in real life – which can be challenging in the extreme in good and bad ways
Lists are good in a blog in terms of structure/clarity – bullet points/numbers etc help just break out/present thoughts – makes it easier to read then just one big bloc of badly spelt text (in my case
.
I never write them in reality (keep meaning to – so that will be the first item on my to do list
– but have just started using the voice recording function on my phone to capture thoughts 
I can’t tell you how many people I have met and been able to share my faith with through my blog. I would have never had any contact with these friends if it weren’t for this venue.
Christi,
It was through your blog that I realized that a virtual social circle was not only as real, valuable and significant as a real-world set of relationships, in some unique cases it may be more important.
For example, medical emergenices require immediate communication, around the clock. Online is perfect for that.
It\’s also true that virtual social networks (especially when they are created as need-specific) such as individuals who all want information on how to remodel a house, for example, gratify people in unique ways that common inter-personal realationships might not. The Web will never replace our needs for real life relationships; it may, however, supplement them in significant way
Thanks for being the vanguard..
Cynthia
Excellent insight. I’ve only been blogging for a short time, but the longer I do it the more value I see to it and the more possibilities there are with it. Also, Cynthia, I’m humbled you stopped by our blog. May God continue to bless your ministry.
Great post. Are you coming to MinistryTECH? Hope so. Have a great Easter.