Blogging Ministry

I posted previously on some of my experiences with blogging a Bible Study and all the good reasons for doing so.

Actually, I believe that anyone teaching a Bible study should seriously consider posting the notes or lessons on the Internet. Here are a few good reasons:

1. Access to the notes for everyone in the Bible study.

Those who miss a lesson or two can catch up. Those who where there but lost the outlines or notes can always download new ones. There will always be a permanent record of the study for as long as the site is maintained.

2. Expanding your Bible study to include a world wide audience really takes very little additional efforts.

For the same effort it takes to prepare for teaching a Bible study at church or in a home fellowship group, you can actually end up ministering to people in countries all around the world. People from Over 138 countries have visited my Bible Study blog and it really is no big deal or exceptional in any way.

Not only that, but the lesson you did last week will continue to be read by folks this week and in the weeks to come. The effort you put into one lesson for one week can continue to minister to people for 52 weeks a year. Also, for 24/7, 365 days, and 52 weeks the next year and the year after for as long as the site is up.

Best of all, a Bible Study blog can be started for no cost at all and with zero website experience. A beginner can set up an attractive fully functioning new blog at Blogger.com or at WordPress.com in less than an hour.

Here’s some links to earlier posts I’ve written evaluating Blogger and WordPress:

-Getting Started With Blogger: An Evaluation

-Getting Started With WordPress.com: An Evaluation

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I took some time this week to figure out a way to get better organized in my Blogging. 

I have a system where I write down ideas during the day for articles or making changes in my blogs. It’s a great system accept I misplace or lose some of the notes and when they do show up it is sometimes too late to blog on the idea.

Also, I find ideas and articles to spin off of on the net and bookmark them. But my list of bookmarks gets so long that some of the best possibilities gets lost in the crowd.

Sometimes I find articles on blogs that I would like to comment on but don’t have time at that moment. Then later I forget about them.

Another thing that I have noticed is my inconsistency in posting. Some weeks ideas just flow and one post after another just flies up on the front page while other times nothing falls into place and before you know it a week or so has gone by.

This is a particularly acute problem for me since I have 4 major blogs that I manage and post to and 5 other minor specialty blogs that receive less attention. Also, I have set posting goals for each blog in 2008.

I came across a good idea at DailyBlogTips, they suggest using a large white erase board for organizing blog ideas. I adjusted the idea to my own situation.

I do all my blogging at the kitchen table in the family room, that way I can be in close proximity with my wife and take care of family business as necessary. Like take out the trash, unscrew that hard to open jar, or talk about what we are going to do over the weekend. It keeps peace in the family and wife doesn’t feel like a ‘blogging widow’. However, there is no big wall to place an erase board or at least none that my sweetheart would allow it on.

Solutions:  I took a trip to Office Depot and to Staples this week and picked up the following:

1. Erase Calendar 81/2 x 11- To write and keep tract of where and what day I have posted on.

With one glance I can see that I have posted only 2 articles this week to my ANSWERS blog and only one to CHARISMATICA and nothing to the others. I can also see that the last time I posted to APOLOGETICA was Sat. 1/5 and the last article to this blog was posted on Tues. 1/1. This is going to be a very helpful tool.

2. 81/2 x 11 Yellow pad to write and organize on, instead of the large white board, more practical for me. Though I am still looking for a small erase sheet that will fit into a notebook.

3. Small 5 x 8 Yellow pads to jot down notes and ideas on. Also, to jot down a reminder of every article that I have bookmarked for possible posting on or responding to with comments. 

4. A Three-Ring Notebook  -with slots in the front and back to slide the calendar and yellow pad into.

5. Notebook Dividers with pockets to put notes in.

Now I have some place to put all my notes, a way to organize all my bookmarks and keep track of articles I want to comment on. Also, on the calendar, I can immediately see whether I am meeting my blogging goals for the year.

Best of all, my wife is going to be much happier with the way it all looks in the family room. No more stacks and scattered scraps of paper (that look like trash) with valuable blogging notes within. 

All of it is now well organized and contained in one lovely ’simulated leather’ dark blue 3 ring notebook with dividers and handy pockets.           *Top

If you are serious about blogging and doing some kind of ministry on the Internet, it is vital to have some kind of plan. Even if you’re only casual, like most of us, in your blogging habits it is important to have some goals and a program in place in order to maximize your efforts.

January is a good time to evaluate how things went in 2007 and to make any necessary adjustment and changes for the new year.

Here is a link to a project DailyBlogTips where 79 different blog authors participated and listed their goals for 2008. There is lots of good ideas there and some might be helpful to you in planning out your blogging for 2008. Happy New Year!             *Top

Among the many confusing terms that you run into when you are just starting out in the blogosphere is "RSS". Yet this term is of prime importance to understand if you are going to expand the influence of your blogging ministry.

What is RSS? Simply defined it stands for : Really Simple Syndication

But what does that mean to you and for your blog? Simply put, it is the device that others can use to subscribe to your future blog articles and comment threads. It is also the means by which you can subscribe to other blogs and current news content.

But what is it all about and how does it work? Here are a couple of really good elementary articles about RSS and how to get it to work for you:

Here’s the Wikipedia article

About.com: Internet for Beginners

What is RSS: A Guide

FeedBurner: Feeds 101

Help with Feeds

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"A comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to set up, customize, and market your blog using WordPress"

By Hasin Hayder (Birmingham, UK: Packt Pub. Ltd., 2006, 289 pages)

This really is the most ‘complete’ book on the WordPress blogging platform. It has chapters on all the elementary stuff for beginners, how to get started and how to use all the basic aspects of the program. It also offers plenty to keep those that have been around a while busy.

<–Read the Rest @ my BOOK Review Blog–> *Top

Here is a couple of good articles that I found on Daily Blog Tips with suggestions which should be helpful to those starting out.

The first article comes from DailyBits: "8 Bad Decisions When Starting a New Website"

While this article is keyed to websites in general it is valid in most cases for blogs, particularly points # 1,2,3,5,6,& 7. Some good advise here!

The second article is from Daily Blog Tips: "What’s Your Long-Term Blogging Strategy?"

Most of these suggestions are about content. While #5 might not be part of your reasons for blogging, the other points are important to consider and really are excellent advise for those starting out and good even for folks like me who have been around a while.

Those who have been in blogging for the long haul have all found it necessary to evaluate their goals and blogging strategy from time to time. It is really important to establish some ideas and reasons for blogging right from the start. Then develop a regimen and strategy that meets those goals.             *Top

Here are the links to a great two-part article on blogging: Part 1, Part 2. Dr. Mark D. Roberts observes that blogging is a lot like jogging, it became very popular and it seemed like the whole world was blogging, then many found out that it was harder than expected and millions quit nearly as fast as they started. Now it has become fashionable to talk about the ‘death of blogging’.

Dr. Roberts in his essay, tempers the wild manic swings in the popularity of blogging with a good dose of reality and with a truthful look at this media. He emphasizes the importance of having goals and a good reasons to continue:

"For me, blogging isn’t about getting lots of readers or some miniscule amount of fame. Rather, I blog because I want to communicate with people, speaking on issues from an intentionally Christian, thoughtful perspective. I want to help people think about the stuff of life in light of biblical truth. I hope to make some small difference in people’s lives, in the church, and in the world. That’s why I blog, and that purpose keeps me going when I’m a. tired or b. bored or c. discouraged or d. feeling embattled or, e. all of the above."

Dr. Mark talks about blogging from the position of experience. His insights are particularly important for those who are Pastors, since he was a head pastor when he started. Also, his understanding of the daily process of publishing a blog and the importance of goals and objectives are enlightening for all who would like to minister in some way through blogging.             *Top

Day two at GodblogCon started with Paul Spears, from Torrey institute of Biola University and a contributor @ ScriptoriumDaily.com; talking about “Substance in Blogging and the Case for Blog Euthanasia”. Dr. Spears pointed out that millions of blogs are started every month and multi-millions are abandoned or flushed. The fact is that not everyone is well suited for serious blogging and many have discovered that posting meaningful content can actually be hard work and take time away from other activities. < Read the rest on my AFTF blog>

Note: Podcasts of the GodblogCon sessions are available @ ScriptoriumDaily.com

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Greetings from Las Vegas, Nevada, I am here at the Blogworld & New Media Expo and GodblogCon 2007, along with thousands of fellow bloggers. Today has been an eye opening experience. I am like a kid in a candy store. < Read the rest on my AFTF blog>

Note: Podcasts of the GodblogCon sessions are available @ ScriptoriumDaily.com
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Here is a good article on blogging from the Washington Post, by Dan Zak. It contains some good advise for those starting out and even for bloggers who have been around for a while. Read the entire article if you want you blog to reach a greater audience. The main points in the article are elementary but useful and profound. Here are the 10 key points:

1. TELL STORIES RATHER THAN STICKING SOLELY TO LINKS OR PHOTOS.

2. CREATE A VOICE FOR YOURSELF.

3. MAKE EVERYTHING EASY TO READ AND ACCESS.

4. SIFT THROUGH BLOGROLLS AND CREATE YOUR OWN.

5. WIDGET YOUR PAGE.

6. COMMENT EARLY AND OFTEN.

7. PRAY FOR A LINK FROM THE BIG BOYS.

8. NOMINATE YOURSELF FOR AWARDS.

9. POST WITH VERVE AND CONSISTENCY.

10. JOIN THE CROWD.

Read the caption under each. These points really do work. here is some past articles on blog promotion:

Tips for Increasing Visibility and Traffic to Your Blog

The ‘How To Start a Blog’ Series:Tips and Suggestions for Launching a Successful Blog

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