What is “Pastoral Blogging”?
What is a “Church Blog”?
Is blogging still relevant today?
Pastor blog trends that don’t work
- Inconsistent – There’s no one focusing and creating the content
- A 2nd or 3rd sermon in the week
- Blogging about things that don’t line up with the church’s mission
Blog ideas
- Transcribe the sermon to have it in text
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- Find a volunteer to transcribe it
- Rev.com (ideal but expensive) or trint.com (will require review but cheaper)
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- (Justin’s preference) Build relationships using the blog
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- This is not a second sermon or a devotional
- Share stories and personal revelations from the Pastor (show how you’re living what you preach)
- Share stories from the congregation
- Speak to current events (things that may not get airtime on Sundays)
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Pastor blog or church blog?
- Pastor blog
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- Keep it separate if you want to write about things that aren’t a focus for the church
- Create a separate pastor blog if the pastor wants to keep the content if/when he leaves the church
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- Church blog
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- Use the blog under the church name if it’s to minister to the community as the church
- Gives the ability for others on staff or lay-people to write for the blog
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Conclusion
- Your blog is another way people can connect with your church. This is a relationship building tool. Ask yourself, what does my community or church want and need to hear, and how can you open yourself up to them and create communication.
- Stick, stay and iterate (from Dan Irmler)
- Make a plan to try blogging for 8 weeks and stick with it
- Stay on target and blog once a week
- Evaluate the time it takes and the reach, then decide if you want to continue and how you’ll improve it.
Check out the Baylon Bee article. Hilarious!!!