Blogging Ministry

I found this link @ Church Communications Pro. They have provided a number of free video tutorials for those starting out and/or using the WordPress blogging platform. They offer a ton of valuable and essential information:

1. The Basics in Using WordPress

2. How to install WordPress

3. How to customize a theme

4. 7 Steps to Optimizing WordPress

5. ….and much more…

They also offer a number WordPress themes, some are free, along with a number of impressive offerings at a minimal cost.          *Top

"How People Blogging Are Changing the World and How You Can Join Them"

By Bob Walsh (Berkeley, CA: Apress, 2007, 351 pages)

An excellent book on why one should blog and how to get started. Bob suggests that one starts by reading lots of blogs and become initially engaged in the blogoshere by leaving comments.

Next he gives suggestions about getting started publishing a blog with Blogger, Windows Live, and TypePad and evaluates which blogging platform might be best for you considering your goals and what type of blog you wish to publish.

<<Read the rest of this review on my BOOK Reviews blog>>

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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’s an article by Mathew Honan who evaluates a number of blog platforms for Mac users. He has a number of observations about blogging programs and makes some suggestions about which might be the best for someone starting out.

He talks extensively about Blogger as probably being the best for someone starting a ‘personal blog’. He also mentions WordPress as another good option.

He suggests TypePad for ‘business blogs’ and Vox for community blogging. Then introduces Tumblr as a great platform for short mobile blogging that iphone folks might want to consider.             *Top

Here is a site for ministries to pickup relevant domains for use in internet ministry or to drop off good domains that are no longer in use. Here’s some quotes from the site:

If you need a domain name for use in Christian ministry, ministrypool is the place to start! The pool which contains top quality, easy to remember, domain names for use in ministry and Church marketing projects

Think of it as a bit like a bank or library, when you’ve finished your project, the domain goes back ‘into the pool’ so others can use it. (If you really like the domain, permanent use might well be possible!)

You can also help by ‘donating a domain‘ to the pool.

This is a good service for Christian ministries to use. The whole idea is to keep relevant domains within the Christian community and out of the hands of the spammers and porno masters. Great idea.                   *Top

Here is an article by Andrea Useem at Religion Writer. com: "Is your Church Ready to Blog?"

Andrea references "The Blogging Church", a book written by Brian Bailey. Then interviews Ben Arment, pastor of Reston Community Church in Reston Va., about his experiences of blogging as a pastor.

I found this link on Brian Bailey’s Blog.              *Top

I found this series mentioned and linked on Pastor Steve Weaver’s Blog. Written by Joe Carter of the evangelical outpost and posted in the archives. This is one of the most valuable sources of information about blogging and how to get started that I have ever found. It not only contains articles by Carter but also numerous links to other sites and a virtual treasure trove of info. about blogging. Here is the series index. The following are the links to the major articles:

Part I - Before You Begin

Part II - The Beginning Bloggers Toolbox

Part III - How to Become an A-List Blogger

Part IV - The Art of Marketing Your Blog

Part V - Owning a Micro-Niche

Part VI - Three Essential Elements of Blog Design

This is great stuff. Sure wish that I would have known about these articles and read them before I began my first blog last year. It sure would have saved me a lot of grief.
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I found this linked on Sista Cala’s blog. A great series for Pastors and the rest of us posted on Pastor Steve Weaver’s Blog:

1. Blogging and Pastoral Ministry, Intro.

2. The Benefits of Blogging as a Pastor

3. How and What Should a Pastor Blog

4. The Dangers of Blogging as a Pastor

The series is written from the perspective of a pastor who has been blogging for more than two years. He not only presents the ‘whys’ and benefits of blogging for pastors, but also details the potential dangers. A well thought out and very balanced presentation.                *Top

By Jonathan Yang (London, UK: Rough Guides Ltd, Oct. 2006, 208 pgs.)

Read the review on my BOOK Reviews site.              *Top

Here’s a link to a great series by Cory Miller: "Blogging for Pastors 101". He encourages Pastors to blog and has 27 posts on how to get started. Cory follows up the series with interviews of 50 Pastors/Believers involved in blogging. What a valuable and incredible series it is, I highly recommend it.

One warning however, if you start browsing his website: ChurchCommunicationsPro.com you can easily spend a couple of hours and just scratch the surface. It is full of good stuff for churches and for those involved in ministry on the internet.                *Top