Right now you can find one article after another talking about 2012 and "what really matters" when it comes to blogging or social networking. Most of the articles that I have read are on the importance of SEO and commenting in building traffic for ones site in the coming year. Not a few spend some time exploring how to get traffic and attention to some of your older posts. All good ideas since traffic and visibility is important.

However, if your purpose and goals for being on the Internet revolve around bearing your testimony about Jesus and/or doing some kind of Christian ministry, then the presence of God and His Holy Spirit in all that you do and say is of primary importance. The following short video (4:22) message by Francis Chan is a good one to remind us about “what really matters” after all is said and done: 

Catalyst Atlanta 2011 | Francis Chan from Catalyst on Vimeo.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. –John 15:5
ESV

*Hat Tip: GMO Blog               *Top

Related Posts?:

1. -Happy New Year 2012
2. Movie and Book Reviews as an Outreach

                 (Image via Wikipedia)

Most of the time holidays are a one day or a weekend at best affair but Christmas is an entire season that spans nearly a whole month. Plus it is a natural for Christian bloggers since the whole reason for the season revolves around the birth of Jesus Christ.

When it comes to blogging and bearing one’s testimony the opportunities provided by this holiday are far and beyond any other time of the year. First of all, nearly everyone is participating in the season in some form or another- believer and non-believer.So the interest is high and there are lots of things to blog about. The following are just a few suggestions.

What to Blog About

1. About your shopping experiences

2. About all of the hectic pressures of the season.

3. About how your family and extended family responds to one another.

4. About family traditions and how your family celebrates.

5. About what Christmas really means to you.

6. About how your faith matters during this time.

7. About the central message of the season and the birth of Jesus Christ.

8. About the events at your church.

9. About Christmas outreaches to those in need.

10. About your daily activities related to the season.

The Christmas season is a rich time of the year when it comes to touching others and your blog or website can touch people in ways that are not really possible any other time of the year. To see what I mean, all you have to do is view some of the traditional Christmas movies that are shown year after year during this season.

Folks are open to good stories and good news and there is nothing better for that then the coming of Jesus Christ as a baby. Now’s the time to tell them why Jesus came, why God sent his Son, and why that should mean something to everyone.            *Top

The invention of the printing press brought with it revolutionary changes in communicating the Gospel and spreading Christianity around the World. It made it possible for Bibles to be mass produced and available to regular folks. Since then the Bible has been translated into thousands of different languages.

In fact some Bibles associations are forecasting that the New testament at least may be available in every language there is around the world within 10 years or so making it possible for the Gospel to potentially go to every nation. Incredible.

Now in this generation we are also going through a comparable paradigm shift with the dawn of the Internet and the mass availability of computers but especially smart phones even in 3rd world countries. It is making the Bible accessible to folks in every country, even in places where missionaries and the Gospel are officially forbidden to go.

There are numerous sites right now on the Internet where the Bible is available in literally hundreds of different languages. Plus sound Christian teaching and Bible studies on thousands of different sites may be easily accessible with an iphone or Blackberry.

This is a major game changer, especially when it comes to evangelism.

Here’s a great article that explores the positive aspects and full potential of digital evangelism compared to the limitations of printed material:

“Are electrons better than dead trees?”               *Top

Here’s a link to ChurchRelevance’s List: Top 200 Church Blogs for Fall 2011

Top 10:

1. Between Two Worlds

2. Michael Hyatt

3. DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed

4. GetReligion

5. Tim Challies

6. Dr. Albert Mohler

7. Jesus Creed

8. The Resurgence

9. Pyromaniacs

10. Fr. Z’s Blog

<Rest of the list 11-200>

Take a look at the Top 10 and see what the best of the best most successful Christian blogs look like. Then take a look at the bottom of the list which are also great. I guarantee you’ll learn something in the process.

One can always disagree with the criteria used to come up with this list but not that these are all great blogs and great examples to take a look at and learn from. That’s why I have it linked here as a learning tool for those of us who would like to improve our sites and take them to another level.            *Top

(Image by miss miah via Flickr)

Well sometimes comments can actually ruin your whole day. One of the hardest things to do as a Christian blogger is to respond in love to those who criticize and are down right mean and ornery to you in their comments.

Sometimes when I’m responding to a reader’s comment on one of my blogs, the first thing I think of is ‘how would Jesus answer this one’. On my worst days I have a picture in my mind of Jesus clearing the temple or telling the religious folks that they are really nothing more than ‘white washed graves‘. Then the Holy Spirit kicks in and I see Jesus teaching the ‘Golden rule’ and telling his disciples to love and pray for their enemies. In those moments I pray for wisdom and strength.

Some Suggestions on Responding to Difficult Comments 

1. Believe it or not Prayer does help. (Pray for wisdom and understanding)

2. Sometimes let a day or so go by. (Respond when you’re not quite so angry or hurt)

3. Don’t respond at all. (Some comments are so out-of-line that they hang themselves)

4. If you really did blow it you do need to magnanimously admit it.

5. If they are right –same as #4.

6. Sometimes commenters are just plain wrong and need to be corrected. (With as much love and care as you can muster)

7. Sometimes the best response is the ‘delete’ button. (It might even make your day)

Some of the meanest comments that I have ever received have surprisingly come from fellow Christians who completely forgot about grace. Nevertheless, if you are identified in some way as a Christian on the Internet than you really do need to respond in a way that reflects well upon your faith and your master Jesus.  Blessings.

For those who continue to make fun of all the Millions ‘Tweeting’ away their lives, now even the Pope tweets. 

Pope Benedict XVI sent out a message on Twitter to publicize the launch of the Vatican’s new website-  News.va, The following was the pope’s first message:

"Dear Friends, I just launched http://t.co/fVHpS9y Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI"

The message was prepared for him a head of time so all he had to do was click and send. The occasion also marked the 60th anniversary of his ordination as a priest.            *Top

(Image via Wikipedia)

Here’s a good article from Church Mag listing 10 different behaviors that Christians should avoid if they want to maintain a good reputation and continue to be positive ambassadors for Christ:

10 Easy Steps to Ruin Your Online Reputation

Technology can’t replace God. God is God. He always will be. We need Him. BUT technology can help us to tell others about Him.”

We are the generation who has in our hands the opportunity, through technology, to reach EVERY person on earth with the gospel. Some do it through blogs,  twitter,  facebook, videos,  in online chats, message boards, new articles, online radio, etc. The possibilities are endless.  

But the message should still be Jesus — his work, his love, his forgiveness.

Response: Here’s the part those of us involved in Internet ministry need to always remember-  “But the message should still be Jesus — his work, his love, his forgiveness.”   Amen.

*Top

“Christianizing the Social Network”

It’s about Challies new book “The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion” (Zondervan) and his perceptions about how the internet and modern technology impacts the Christian faith.

Here’s the top quote from the interview coming in response to the question-“Is a specifically Reformed understanding of technology possible?”:

“… A Reformed understanding would take into account God’s sovereignty even over technology as the starting point and ending point. God saw fit to allow us technology, and God cares how we use it. Our job is to ensure that we’re using technology in a way that’s subject to his authority.”

<<Read the entire interview>>            *Top

The organizers of the day offer more than 20 eBooks for free plus lots of other resources on doing ministry on the Internet.

The titles include:

• NetCasters: Using the Internet to Make Fishers of Men by Craig von Buseck
• God Space: where spiritual conversations happen naturally by Doug Pollock
• Effective Church Websites for Emerging Generations by Frank Johnson
• Several books by church communications trainer Yvon Prehn

Check out the full list here: Free Internet Evangelism Day Books