Why Blogging Leads Change

shutterstock_318616898Why Pastors Should Blog

Unfortunately for the Church, the protocols of Church culture were created in ancient times. Two millenniums later, we steadfastly follow the example of St. Paul.
What would the last 2000 years of Christianity have been like if the early apostles could have left behind a second tunic but carried with them a laptop!
If churches are to exist as change agents—in society and in people’s lives, blogging cannot be overlooked. In fact, every congregation should require these skills of any new pastor. Any settled pastor should be encouraged to adopt blogging. Here’s why:
Blogs provide an opportunity to spread the word beyond current membership.
Pastors/preachers for the most part still concentrate all efforts on reaching people with 20-minute sermons delivered weekly on Sunday morning. Consequently, the audience is very limited—and dwindling. A pastor ends up reaching the same 25, 50, 100 or 250 people each week. It doesn’t matter the size of the church. The audience is severely limited!
Blogs create an opportunity to teach.
Pastors are the resident experts on faith and theology. Creating a regular conversation on faith topics will strengthen the faith foundation of the congregation.
Blogs are an opportunity to lead.
The role of pastor is often confusing. Are pastors shepherds, servant leaders, or CEOs? The nature of leadership may be cloudy, but there is no doubt leadership skills are important to success.
Leaders benefit from the ability to quickly convey ideas and vision. Changing insights introduced from the pulpit are likely to incite those who may disagree. Since pulpit to congregation communication is one-way, this has the potential to create contention and bad feelings—alienating loyal members. Blogs allow for feedback on the reader’s terms. New ideas are less threatening when others can be part of dialogue.
Board and committee meetings provide opportunity for dialogue but the sharing is among the select—those in attendance. And here’s a problem—you have no ability to control the message once the group disperses and starts to talk to others. Better do a crackerjack job from the start.
Blogging is foundational to building community.
While sharing your views several times a week, you will build relationships. That’s just the beginning. Publish meaningful insights and your following will start to share. Evangelism!
Blogging makes a congregation’s website worth the work.
Most congregations still use the website simply to advertise the who, what, where, and when of church life—digital brochures. They are not likely to be read by many. Members won’t check in if nothing changes. Visitors will find you only if they are scouting before a visit. There is so much more potential! Regular, fresh content is a good start.
Blogging is a worthwhile investment in time.
Of course, blogging seems like more work. It is! But the return on the investment for messages shared, relationships built, networks strengthened, and impact made is worth the investment. The only thing stopping congregations from requiring these skills of pastors is they are still new within the church. (The rest of the world has jumped on the opportunity.) Like any new habit, the sooner you work at cultivating it the sooner the advantages kick in.
It will give your congregation’s ministry direction.
This is the least understood aspect of blogging. Blogging is not just an “add-on” to a congregation’s existing ministry. It is a game-changer.  Start blogging. Soon, the discipline of writing regularly, looking for ideas, and getting feedback, will combine to re-focus mission—often in unforeseen ways. The result: a new, timely vision. Exciting, too!