Today, I'm starting a new category here at the MMIBlog.com website called "Blogging How-To's".  In this first installment, we'll look at Ken Gosnell's four tips on how blogging can help your church.  Have you considered adding a blog for your church?  It's a great idea!  Here's why...

1. Blogging will bring churches closer together as it closes a communication gap
One of the fundamental issues in church life is communicating the vision. Often the vision gets lost for more pressing issues. However, blogs will help the church family stay in constant communication. We will be able to share ideas and thoughts in a timely way and wait for others to respond.

2. Blogging will help to develop sermons and classes
Now, a preacher will be able to post a sermon idea at the beginning of the week and have the congregation respond so that when he delivers the sermon he will have brought many along for the ride.

They will be actively engaged in the process and be able to share ideas and thoughts. Soon a preacher that does not blog with his congregation will be out of touch and behind the pack. Just note: blogging will change how preaching is done!

 

3. Blogging will break down barriers and remove masks
People experience significant freedom to communicate when blogging. This venue allows people time to think about their ideas and how they want to communicate them. In face-to-face communication, many people feel threatened and stifled.

4. Blogging will help the church to engage the culture.
Stephan Baker and Heather Green in the Business Week article say,

Blogs are different. They evolve with every posting, each one tied to a moment. So if a company (or church) can track millions of blogs simultaneously, it gets a heat map of what a growing part of the world is thinking, about, minute by minute. E-mail has carried on billions of conversations over the past decade. But those exchanges were private. Most blogs are open to the world. As the bloggers read each others comments, and link from one page to the next, they create a global conversation. (p. 62-63)

We have the world at our fingertips and we can do a whole new kind of evangelism.

It is a whole new world out there in the 'blogosphere'.  I'm hoping to get some time to write in this new category some of how this blog is reaching people I never even intended to.  It's a great way to connect and reach out to people, even in your own church.

Have you considered having either a personal blog or a blog for your church?  If you have, and you don't know where to start, please ask your questions here.  I'll try to do my best to find good answers to share; and maybe we can all start on the same page:  influencing others for Christ with 'blogs'  (who woulda ever figured?)  Please share your questions or blogging experience now!  :)

 - From Monday Morning Insight