I need a little help from you today. My friend John Dobbs and I have been asked to team-teach a couple of lessons on the topic of blogging at the Tulsa Workshop. We’re going to be talking about subjects like …
- How blogging reaches the whole world.
- How blogging reaches people looking for answers.
- How blogging encourages people in their daily walks with God.
- How you can find community in the blogging world.
So here’s what I’d LOVE to know from you today…
- Why do you blog?
- Why do you read the blogs you do?
- What attracts you to certain blogs?
Thanks for your help on our class. I’ll share with you my answers on “Why I Blog” on Monday.
(COMMENT OF THE DAY: Doug said… “Unfortunately, I am not convinced that blogging has helped improve much of anything for me. It seems to get me into more trouble than anything else.” ** Doug, I feel your pain 
Trey )
I am a Christian husband and father, who moonlights as the minister for the church of Christ in Childress, Texas. My wife Lea and I have been married for 23 years. We are doing our best to raise our 4 boys, who are all growing up way too fast.
I blog out of a need for feedback for some of the things that I’ve seen in Bible study over the years. Writing these things out helps me organize my ideas, and the comments I get from others often help me sharpen the focus of what I write and sometimes leads me to completely rethink my views on a particular topic.
Wish I could be in Tulsa with you guys!
Grace and peace,
Tim
I blog to keep a record of things going on in our lives. Also for family and friends who we don’t get to see often enough. I read other blogs to see there are people out there who are just like us and to be encouraged. Pretty simple…
I started my blog to help husbands be better husbands. “Men don’t read books,” I thought, “but maybe they’ll be up for a blog.”
Blogging on the subject of improving marriage from the man’s perspective has been quite an adventure, and it seems to have struck a cord with a lot of people.
As corny as it sounds, I blog to try and help the world be a better place.
Me personally? I read blog on subjects that interest me. I also love reading blogs, so I usually don’t get hooked on blogs when the posts are five pages long. I don’t have too much time to devote to reading, and I appreciate the shorter posts.
Format and design are also big things. If a blog looks messy, I don’t want to read it (LOVE your design, Trey). I also hate when an entire three-page post is one paragraph (or worse – one sentence) long.
I’m sure I could go on, but those are a just a few ideas.
Great opportunity you’ve got there, Trey. Excited for you.
A Husband
http://www.iamhusband.com
I blog because I believe stories are important and I don’t know mine yet or think I don’t so I blog the Bible to discover mine and IF someone discovers theirs, that they too have one in the reading I am thrilled. I blog the Bible because it has changed my life, my marriage, my family and it is that important…
I read other blogs to be challenged and taught and to share their stories.
I must admit, my first answer is purely selfesh. I enjoy writing and sharing what I find in study the of God’s word. Blogging gives me an outlet that I would otherwise not have.
In the past 24 hours I have received one request to print one of my posts in a Kentucky newspaper, an email from a N C woman saying how much she was helped by a recent post, and one from a man who had a long standing question cleared up after he did a search and found one of my posts written over a year ago.
As I write this comment I have had readers from several states and 5 foreign countries in the last 24 hours. I can cite many wonderful results of posting on Grace Digest.
Another reason is the friendships that have been made largely due to blogging. John Dobbs has become a very good friend and the real connection was made because of our mutual blogging activities.
I started blogging because Donna did and I was a “me, too” kind of girl. I learned quickly that I wasn’t blogging for the same reasons as Donna and my blog became a way to communicate with family and friends and a way to make new frieds. I have suceeded in making new friends throughout the U.S.
I started reading only spiritual blogs but now I read for entertainment, recipes, running tips…
I think humor is what attracts me to most of the blogs I read. Humor can teach, entertain, and challenge me to be a better me.
That should be new “friends” not “frieds” although, I’m not opposed to a little fried now and again!
I blog so no one will read it. HA!
Seriously, I have blogged in the past because people asked me to. (I have no idea why.)
Now I blog because it allows me to free my mind of thoughts and ideas as well as write them down for improvement. Almost everything I write is not a completed work, I still work on them from time to time as my mind works.
I also found that providing resources helps other people learn. Helping other people has brought a new idea to sharing ideas and thoughts.
Just my thoughts.
I’m like Royce. I blog because I love to write.
I’m like Tim. I bog because it helps me think.
I blog because I want to foster a safe place for people to ask questions about God.
I blog because I am basically bossy, and I have a bigger audience of people to tell what to do with a blog!
‘Teaching’ is my spiritual gift, and I love to share what God has put on my heart through my blog. And sometimes my family is just so funny I have to write about it there, too!
what draws me to other blogs? Depends, I guess…
needs to be brief (but mine never are)
needs to be generally encouraging
for me, personally — use the words “post-modernism”, “sectarian”, “apostate”, and especially “Stone-Campbell Dialogue” and I am scrolling through your blog so fast my mouse is throwing sparks. I would rather hear a story about a diaper blow-out than that kind of stuff!
I like things that make me think (without using ridonculously big words).
Good questions. Why I started blogging and why I continue are different sets of reasons.
I started blogging because when a friend told me about it, I was convinced that it was the newest, coolest thing. 41 years old at the time, it had been many moons since I’d been in on the newest, coolest thing.
I think that I blog now because I want to be known. We often try to hide the desire to be known. But I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad impulse. The trick is to want to be known by God, to care primarily about what God thinks about my blog and every other part of my life. Sometimes I do.
I also blog to report and to teach. This is the easiest, best, most-effective way for me to tell about what I’ve discovered, to say what I think is true. And it’s even got a letters to the editor section! Like so many other bloggers, I learn a lot from comments.
I blog to keep from becoming isolated from my friends and peers. Blogging is a good way to stay connected.
I also blog to chronicle my thoughts and activities. Other people scrap book. I blog.
Sarah – Blogging because you’re bossy? That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that!
Hi Trey,
I blog because God has given me a desire to write and at the moment it’s the best way I can do it. I am also on a voyage of discovery because God has had us plant a house church and I’m learning so much that I want to be able to share with and hopefully encourage others with what I’ve learned.
I read the blogs I read for a couple of reasons. Some because they make me laugh, some because the person has a story or a problem which makes me feel deeply for them so I read their blog to get updates on their lives some because they have a way of bringing God’s truth into every day situations which I enjoy and learn from and some because they have become my friends on the internet.
Writing style keeps me reading blogs. I like a bit of humor whatever the blog may be about but that’s not the only thing. Cerulean Sanctum is just so well written I can’t keep away and Mike Ellis finds so many articles in so many places to link to that I love reading what he has found for us. His is an interesting style, he rarely writes original posts.
I find blogs through links on other blogs and also through blogcatalog.com sometimes I use other blog directories to search for blogs but not so much any more – I regularly read about 30 blogs and don’t need to add too many more!
One other comment on how blogging reaches people looking for answers, I now get a lot of traffic from people doing Google searches for the strangest things. My favorite search query yesterday was:
“with all of the churches out there how do you know if a church is truly god’s church?”
I don’t know that my blog answered that but I do know that my blog was a resource that a stranger used to try to find an answer to a spiritual question which makes me realize how important it is that I keep blogging and that I put quality into my work!
I started blogging last week for several reasons. One is to give another opportunity to spread the messages that God has given me to preach and to recieve critique on what I preach. Second, is for a form of discipleship for those I come in contact with. Third, which I have found out today, is accountability. My state convention ran one of my blogs on their site about a vision I put out to our church this past Sunday. That is scary!
Terry Williams
Why? I wanted to leave a chronicle of my life and ministry and misfortune for my children to have (my mistakes give them lots of laughs) and blogging became a convenient way to do that.
Why do I read the blogs I read? Because this is my spiritual community these days. Having left preaching for the secular work field, and finding myself w/out a church, I have found great encouragement and fellowship in this community.
What attracts me …? People I know and have known for years. Just good, quality blogs such as yours and John’s. Referrals from people I know who find other blogs to be meaningful.
I think this class has great potential and would love to hear what you and John have to say. Maybe you can give us the notes or post the audio when all is said and done!
I blog for a couple of different reasons:
1. at first it was just to let everyone know what was going on in our lives. (mostly close friends an family) Then while I was getting divorced a lot of people started reading my blog and I saw how my openness in the situation encouraged other people, regardless of what they were going through.
2. The blogs I read, besides friends and family, are blogs that I feel are blogs that make me think and reach outside the box of my little world. Most of them are spiritually based blogs.
3. Humor, hope, inspiration, thought provoking things…someone who really tries to be real and shows that they’re not perfect, but they’re trying. I think people respect that.
Simply for the cold hard cash.
I blog because it gives me a means to sort through, process, and analyze the thoughts and emotions that I encounter along my life’s journey. Somehow getting it into print and then reading it over and over and over helps me to release some of the emotion tied to the experience.
Blogging for me is totally selfish. I’m not in it to please anyone else or make them necessarily feel good. It is an outlet for me. The fact that anyone would choose to read my blog fascinates me.
Maybe I’m crazy for publicly sharing some of the weirdness that goes on in my head, yet doing so in my mind somehow validates my thoughts and experiences. When someone compliments something I have written, it’s a real boost to my self-esteem. When I receive criticism or disagreement, it too creates satisfaction because I know I’ve challenged someone’s comfort zone.
I read other blogs because they contain something I want. Some blogs about life’s happenings validate that our family is fairly normal. Others give me ideas and direction. Still others teach me about concepts I am pursuing at the moment. Those are the ones I follow…the ones that meet a specific current need in my life.
I blog because I have something to say.
I started blogging back in September, 2003. I started it for a couple of different reasons: First, I like to network and connect. I saw blogging as a way to “get out there” with other ministers. Second, it was an outlet for me to share things I did not feel comfortable sharing in my own congregation. For this reason I kept my blog a secret where I was a minister, although it did not stay secret for long.
I realize those are probably selfish reasons for blogging. I do hope that the things I write will impact someone for good. I should probably blog a little more if that is a goal though. John Dobbs got on to me for not blogging enough. I’m trying harder.
The main reason I blog is that it is a wonderful “outlet” for spiritual lessons and encouraging things that is convenient to those I know, while giving the possibility of reaching countless numbers who I don’t know.
I read many blogs. Some, obviously, are friends. Overall, though, I read the number I do (about 50) to get all types of perspectives and ideas. Since the medium lends itself to brevity, it is a great place to sense trends and to get ideas, while still requiring me to do my own study and research.
In addition to the practical aspects of what blogging does for me (i.e. helping me organize my thoughts, becoming a better writer through practice, learning to communicate more effectively, etc.), I blog because it helps me connect with people.
I put my thoughts out there for the world to see, and then listen as others give me their thoughts.
Much like Facebook or MySpace are for me, blogging is a means of connection.
I’m a minister. Ministry isn’t simply something I do, it’s something I am. Building and cultivating connections with other people is what its all about.
For the critics out there – I actually baptized a guy I ran across on MySpace, and I’ve been able to reconnect with a bunch of people from my old life who’ve now witnessed the change Christ has brought about in my life because of what they’ve read on my blog.
You can’t tell me cyberspace has no practical ministerial use, and if you’re one that believes blogging and social networking to be a waste of time then you’re blind.
Its all about connecting with people.
I started blogging so that my young son would have something to read from his father someday. If I were to die today, he would have a few good memories of some of our fun times together, but he would not have many memories about my thoughts and my values. Some day, I will be gone. But my son will have my thoughts preserved. It’s important for our children to have something from their parents that may not have any monetary value, but that will have sentimental and spiritual value. My blog is my gift to my son.
Hey Trey, I hope that you get good information and that is helpful in your efforts. I think blogging can be a great and effective way to teach people about Christ.
As for why I blog, I am brand new to it, but I had a couple things in mind when I started: (1) I like writing, (2) to let everyone know what is going on with my family and kids, but (3) and more importantly, a venue to teach and emphasize the life of Jesus and how we can participate in the kingdom life He brought to the world. But I have to admit, in the couple of months I have been doing this, I have found it be somewhat therapeutic. I really am enjoying it and am glad I picked it up.
As for why I read the blogs I do, I like being challenged and edified. I have found a lot of this in the blogging sphere. I have also found that a lot of our brethren who are bloggers, are willing to step outside “of the box” so to speak, and that challenges my thinking. That is very good for me. I think I can learn a lot from others, even those with whom I might disagree.
What attracts me to certain blogs? Honesty, openness, practicality. I like the stuff that is going to challenge me to live a life that is right and Godly–the real things in life that matter to people; not something that is merely designed to affirm what I am supposed to believe in order to go to Heaven.
I don’t blog, but I do read a lot of blogs because I am in need of a mentor/student relationship. I don’t feel like I get that at church.
I blog as it’s a creative outlet for me. It is one of the most satisfying things I can do on the www. It focusses (sp?) my mind on what is important in my life. My spiritual gift is encouragement. I’m need to pray more about using my blog for encouraging. I do comment on other people’s blog for that reason.
mine is mostly selfish, but in the good way. it’s a hobby, a release, i have always enjoyed writing, it’s an outlet for creativity,
but also the fellowship has been the greatest benefit, sharing–whether it’s something I created, or simply found–and learning new stuff from you guys..
Like others, I started blogging because I love to write and needed an outlet for the things on my heart. I was also hoping that my posts would start conversation and develop community, but that hasn’t really happened. I get more feedback when I post photos are get “newsy”, but that doesn’t satisfy the reason I started bloging in the first place.
I enjoy your blog in part because it has a good deal of variety, sometimes serious, sometimes funny. I appreciate blogs that make me think.
There must be a critical mass needed before a blog community forms. I would be interested in what you think is really need to be successful in terms of frequency of posting, content, and promotion.
Grace to you!
Kevin
Now I blog hoping to get invited to speak at a workshop
I started blogging as a way to try and discipline myself to write. But when I started to see how people from all over the world could find and read my blog, I got intrigued with the possibilities of ministry that can take place. One of my blogs, http://www.internetpastoroline.com has people come from all over the world and ask questions and ask for prayer. I used to do a lot of short term mission trips, (I have had to take a break for the last couple of years for family reasons) but I feel like I am able to reach out to people all over the world while sitting on my computer.
I like to read blogs from people who I can relate to. I like to read stories about real life from other believers. I am usually more likely to read blogs that keep their posts short (200-400 words) and that post fairly regularly (2-3 times a week).
i blog to keep our family up to date. . . no on lives in geographical proximity to us (oh, and friends too). I read blogs mostly to stay up to date with friends (not many family members are fellow bloggers), but some i read because they’re entertaining or I’ve been referred to them. I read your blog because well. . . partially for the aforementioned reason, but also your fresh and non-abbrasive/aggressive views on christianity, your ability to share truth without hurting (many) feelings! What attracts me to blogs? if it’s not just a family update blog, then generally what i’m attracted to is whether a friend reads and (usually) likes the blog as well. (referral i suppose). . . . don’t know that we’ll be at the workshop, but it’s starting to sound tempting since we know lots of friend will be there and some AWESOME speakers are lined up (present company INCLUDED)
oh, and because my response wasn’t quite long enough. . . i generally TRY to stay noncontroversial on my blog, because I don’t like to get personal emails from family saying “you shouldn’t have said that” or friends rolling their eyes at my wild ideas while they read. . . that’s all!!! (obviously i’ve tried it a few times and the feedback is too annoying, so i mostly stick to family information now)
I blog to keep a record of special events in my family and to share those with others. I enjoy reading blogs that are personal, that I can relate to and learn lessons from to use in my own life and relationships.
We are all voyeurs to a certain degree. The most interesting tend to be the ones where the blogger opens up their inner feelings in a way they might not do person to person.
http://ForneyLife.blogspot.com
Your blog was the first blog I ever read and got hooked! I started reading for information, but quickly got drawn in by your humor, honesty and compassion. I still read for information, but now I also enjoy the benefit of the connection with others.
I started blogging because I like to write and enjoyed reading other people’s blogs. For me, it is a great way to release tension or just let it all out! I love reading other blogs because it helps me see life from other people’s perspectives and it is just a great way to keep up with what is going on in your friend’s lives!
I started a blog to fight child abuse by helping people heal. Sometimes it’s hard to keep going but once in a while I get an unexpected comment from someone who was really helped. There’s nothing more motivating than that.
In the process I’ve found a lot of healing and clarity myself. Blogging has turned out to be a powerful form of expression. I’ve also met a lot of great people. I keep reading their blogs because I care about them now.
-tearsinabottle
I first started, just reading one person’s blog. Before I found it, I had never seen/heard of a blog before. That was almost 3 years ago. I read and read and read SO MUCH good stuff, about God’s Word and how it applied to this person in his everyday life. But I never even commented.
About a year later, I decided to give it a try myself, mostly because it seemed like a good outlet for self-expression. I’m not the most outgoing person in the world and tend to keep most of my feelings to myself, so writing was a good way to express myself without fear of what anyone else thought. I continue to write for the same reason, and because it’s fun. (Unfortunately, I’m not as regular of a blogger as I would like to be.)
I read others’ blogs to be encouraged and to learn. I tend to enjoy the blogs of others who write about themselves, their lives, things that are going on.
But I can also appreciate a blog that gives me a good chunk of Bible…because i love learning more of it…provided that it’s interesting, informative, and practical.
I blog because it is a quick and fun way to let everyone know what it is going on with my family. We do not live close to anyone in our family, so it allows everyone to “keep in touch.” It is also nice to have a record of things that we have done, etc. I love to read blogs for people I know and am not able to keep in touch with any other way. I read blogs that encourage me, interest me, and make me think.
I started blogging as a way to encourage people around me. I would write about friends and have others leave comments for them. Unfortunately, I ran out of people …
So I started another blog. I have one that is more lighthearted usually … a place to laugh.
I have another one that is more serious. It has things about my life and lessons that I’ve learned along the way.
I was involved in AA for about 8 years before I began attending church. I learned firsthand how much our experience, strength, and hope can help another. Writing out the things on my mind helps me get it out … helps me know I’m not alone … and helps anyone that reads know that their insecurities and struggles are not unique. Many others understand.
The blogs I read and that I’m attracted to do the same thing … help me understand myself better, show me I’m not alone, and help me share in another’s emotion. Whether it be laughter or sadness we can share it.
I remember when John’s son passed away. I didn’t know any of them, but I was so moved by what he shared. I felt like I was able to pray more specific prayers for them because they were letting us know what their struggle was that particular day.
Blogging has allowed me to increase my understanding of God … how He relates to us … and how we relate to Him. Although we are strangers … our love for Him makes us family.
* Why do you blog?
Blogging is first and foremost, a way to record my life, my family’s life, and the life of our church. It also allows for feedback from across the Country and the World.
* Why do you read the blogs you do?
I read blogs for information, entertainment, and a way to connect with people I’ve met and not met.
* What attracts you to certain blogs?
A healthy mixture of posting about an individual’s life, issues that concern the church, and good dose of humor.
I also wanted to say … I think that blogging helps people be more honest. It’s not a face to face conversation. There’s anonymity if you want it.
Growing up I didn’t know that Christians struggled. I really didn’t. So when I began to truly struggle, I thought I was messed up. I pray that we’re a generation that are being more honest about our struggles. Allowing more people to see God’s forgiveness by admitting we need it. Some people only feel comfortable sharing the hard stuff through a blog or a blog comment.
(Is it possible I blog because I like to write a lot? Sheesh. I’ll stop now.)
I blog because I love to talk but with a family and being self employed, there’s not always time to get together with friends. Now I have so many new friends, and friends that are believers.
The ones I read were chosen mostly by chance. If I found a blog I liked, I looked at what they liked.
Attraction, the ones I like most are light-hearted and easy reading. I don’t get into the deep, debating types. I’m here for laughing, relaxation, encouragement and a deeper love for God.
What turns me off immediately is when the post is not shown in its entirety. I don’t want to “click here to read more”.
My arm was twisted by my daughter – a place for the things you write, mom, she said. I was challenged to learn how and am loving it now. Building blog amigos from ‘blog around the world’, reading devotionals from internet cafe, reading best posts of the week, and especially reading posts that help me grow in my faith, has become my hobby. I seek out the blogs that take me to a deeper level, or challenge me in my thinking. I also love the idea of the Lord possibly using what I write and what I comment to bless other people. It was hard to stop the lurking and start the commenting, but when bloggers make a new commenter welcome, that is so appreciated.
It is so wonderful to find a cyber community of faith – in addition to our church family. I’m almost a senior and I work with seniors. I long for interaction with younger folks who help me to keep sharp. Here in blogland age doesn’t seem to matter.
Enjoy reading your blog!
Trey I absolutely cannot wait until Tulsa. I look forward to sitting at the feet of two blog masters, you and John, and learning how to be a better blogger!
My very dear friend, Dusty Rush, persuaded me to get started. I was very hesitant to begin. Before I ever sat down at the computer, I prayed for wisdom. Words are so powerful. I had fear of misusing them in a way I would grieve the Father or hurt others.
Once I got started, I realized what a powerful ministry blogging was. Not to mention fun!
But blogging as a Christian brings with it a huge responsiblity in my opionion. We have no way to know who will be reading our words. So, before I write, I ask God what HE would like me to say. Ask for the words that someone needs to hear that day. Somedays the words are running through my head before I enven make it to the keyboard. Other days, I struggle to find any words. As my readership has grown, so has my desire to be salt and light. The online world can be such a dark place. I desperately want to be part of His light, driving out the darkness.
I read blogs that have a spirit of hope. A passion not just for God, but for others as well. I am honored to be apart of the highs, lows, triumphs and sometimes heartbreak of my fellow brothers and sisters. The casting off of pride and arrogance, the willingness to stumble and tell about it, makes a great blog.
I am grateful, every day, that God is allowing me to be a part of this amazing ministry of blogging. Grateful to meet and intercede for my sisters and brothers. Looking ahead to a time when we will all be able to meet face to face.
I blog to keep my family up-to-date on our happenings. I also blog to have an outlet to share my thoughts. I read blogs that interest me and challenge my thinking.
I think it is interesting that blogging seems to form a community–a gathering of people from all over the country/world and from all walks of life. I feel like I’ve made a few “blog friends” who I will never meet. That is pretty cool.
It’s probably not the best way to go about it, since it’s out there for anyone and everyone, but I have blogged as a means of developing certain writing skills. When there is feedback, it helps.
Unfortunately, I am not convinced that blogging has helped improve much of anything for me. It seems to get me into more trouble than anything else.
Doug
I once heard Beth Moore say that you will know when you have the gift for teaching when you learn something and then just can’t wait to show everyone you know. That’s me in a nutshell…
I write because He shows me some really good stuff in His Word and I feel His pleasure when I share it.
Why do you blog?
I blog for various personal reasons whether it is to blow off steam, rattle off about something that is on my mind, share pertinent information with others, or to get in touch with my own feelings.
Why do you read the blogs you do?
I read certain blogs regularly because I can either somewhat identify with the blog’s author, or find them humorous, informative or inspiring.
What attracts you to certain blogs?
Visually; personal photos, larger type, a layout and design that is easy on the eyes.
Content-related; an author’s writing style that is personal, flows naturally, and isn’t written like a legal pleading.
(I don’t like feeling like I am being sold something, however. There is far too much marketing on the internet, as it is.)
I blog to stay in touch with family and friends. It appears the way of communication is by computers nowdays! In the process, I have made new friends. I find myself reading blogs that have the same age kids as mine. I guess reading their “happenings” makes me feel like I might not be as insane as I thought. I also love to read topics over family and marriage. Not any of us can ever have a perfect family or marriage, but I strive everyday to have a great family bond and great marriage~ it’s an ongoing process!!
Oh my goodness…well, I was JUST telling my coworker about a way I have been blessed through blogging and then I opened up your post and…well, wow!
I blog because I find myself wanting to share my thoughts and opinions with people but I don’t always have an audience for it. I read the blogs I do because they offer me something, most of the time insight, humor, and encouragement. Most of the blogs I read are either friends or “friends.” Anyone who blogs knows what I mean by that! People laugh at me, even my own family, because of my blogging “addiction” but what they don’t realize is what a blessing it has become for me. I do have to keep myself grounded and remind myself to spend more time with the hubs than I do on the blog, but I have found it such an amazing way to reach out to people and either be a blessing or receive one. Blogging makes you realize you are not alone in your situation; there are others living in the same circumstance as you. I’m attracted to blogs with topics that pertain to me or people I have something in common with. I am also attracted to blogs that, honestly, are easy on the eyes. Meaning, the posts are not too long and especially if they include pictures of some sort. I hope this helps!