Apr 11, 2008
What should I be sure to tell a roomful of Christian bloggers?
150 reformed Christian bloggers in one room.
What would you say?
I’ll add your answers (if I agree) to my already-too-long list.
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More blogging. Less reforming.
“Just curious, by show of hands, how many of you here actually use TypePad?”
…..
“OK, today I’d like to speak on godly stewardship…”
Be kinder Calvinists :-)
(Really. I’m endeavoring to be one, and constantly chew on your words from the DG blog a few months ago.)
Less is more in most cases.
Usually the guys who should say more are actually saying less.
For them, more is more.
Hello.
I’ll second Jeremy and Jeff’s comments :).
If the talk is recored, could you post a link to it after the conference?
Soli Deo Gloria! ;)
Also, be true to who you are and who God is, but not forgetting about grace, kindness, mercy, and love, lest we forget who Jesus is and why he came.
I’d tell any Christian blogger those two things by the way!
Caution against unhelpful attitudes, even if they are speaking/writing about the truth.
Pleasant, clean design please — get help if it’s needed.
More frequent (I must work on this), shorter posts.
Respond to your commenters.
So many Reformed folks listen in order to debate better, listen only to hear something to refute. We ought to listen to listen.
Depends on their audience–are they preachin’ to the choir or sharing Christ with those who don’t know Him?
Love drowns out clanging cymbals …
Contend for what you believe, but always keep Ecc. 5:2, Rom. 12:18 and James 1:19 in view. Don’t confuse the blogosphere with the church, or real life.
Take on an apprentice. Potential results:
1) gaining a better view of yourself through observing what they produce
2) gaining some accountability
3) multiplying your ministry through them
4) growing in humility if/when they surpass your Feedburner count
Is it just me or does anyone really care about a blogger’s photo of his baby who has just turned one year old?
Is it just me or does anyone wonder when they go to an extremely well known blog and you see links to the same old blogs saying such exciting things as “here is a photo of my one year old daughter”…..?
Okay, I’ve vented.
Oh, forgot one other thing….will you tell the bloggers to go to my blog and see the latest photos of my 8 year old son?
Thanks.
Encourage them to encourage their wives and sisters and mothers to blog. The band of bloggers is about 98% men. I’d love to see more women out there blogging about Biblical womanhood.
I’ll be one of those bloggers, and I can’t wait. Here is something that I always need to be reminded of. Perhaps others do, too:
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Ephesians 6:12
Ask them how many reformed bloggers it takes to screw in a light bulb.
(I don’t know a punchline, but surely someone can think of a good one).
Here’s the first answer that comes to mind, Lance:
None. We won’t screw anything into the ceiling, because then people would see that we screwed up.
Ha! Well-played, Abraham.
And uncomfortably telling, maybe. Blogging (and not just “reformed”) seems very often about being right and changing *other* people’s minds. So I might ask around who would describe a time when a blog/post/meta played a significant part in changing his mind?
(“His” because I noticed that too, Chelsea, that the women are outnumbered 50 to 1 or so.)
Karsten
Yes, one of the points I want to make is that the blogosphere is not a boys club.
But this particular list of bloggers is mostly men because the event is connected with a conservative pastors conference.
If it were it’s own thing, I think there would be more women.
At last year’s GodBlogCon, a conference for Christian bloggers, the male/female split was pretty even.
this particular list of bloggers is mostly men because the event is connected with a conservative pastors conference
Makes sense. The name “Band of Bloggers” kind of suggests that…
Another topic I’d be interested in is whether and how others in the crowd frequent blogs with which they disagree. Why are they there? What sort of bridges have they built with those bloggers and readers?
K
I appreciate all the comments!
With your help I have a list of about 17 things.
If you’re just arriving at this post, feel free to still add your thoughts. (I need 5 more ideas to get 22!)
I’m sure I’ll only actually get to say 2 or 3 of what I have already, but maybe I’ll put together a What-I-Wish-I-Could’ve-Said post after the event.
Tell them that it takes relentless intentionality to keep a Christ-exalting blog from become a clever blog. The temptation to entertain is almost irresistible.
JP
Thank you for the reminder. Noble intentions go awry easily.
1 Cor. 2:1-2, short and simple. The reference even has two “2″‘s in it.
God so loved the world he sent his only son.
We too should love all people as well.
not to take themselves so seriously.
oops. i meant TOO seriously. sorry. ;-)
“Looking around the room I don’t see Marc Heinrich. What’s up with that!”
Who’s scaring you away, Marc?
Let me know, because I know how to take care of these things.
Thanks for the offer Aber, but I have to work my other job. Enjoy yourself Louisville. Have Timmy B. take you to the rib place with the pig outside…. yum!
Marc,
You will be sorely missed brother. And yes, Abraham, if you would like, I would he happy to take you to the “rib place with the pig outside”.
Glad you posted this. It is helpful to hear what everyone is thinking.
Maybe: consider yourself a failure if you only post things that can become or come from exegesis/theology papers.
Humility matters.
Even in blogging.
(1) character and christian maturity are just as important as content.
(2) don’t waste your blog
[...] Christ with our readers. I am reminded of something John Piper said just a couple of days ago on Abraham Piper’s blog. John Piper commented: Tell them that it takes relentless intentionality to keep a [...]
The God of the Universe will as easily draw folks to reformed theology as He will draw folks to Himself.
Either way, God does the drawing.
[1] Clearly, Heinrich fears to be in the same state as me. He’s running, but he can’t hide.
[2] How many reformed bloggers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
- As many as were appointed unto doing so
- a plurality of elders
- None, because they’re all afraid of what Steve Camp will say about their work
[3] Tell them that God loves all men, and then get out of the way.
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
but only in expressing his opinion.” (Proverbs 18:2)
Teach the cross, all else is digression.