Your thoughts? I’d love to hear them. Let the conversations commence…!
Reader Interactions
There are 22 comments already... Come join us!
Trackbacks
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by churchcrunch, suebrage. suebrage said: RT @churchcrunch: From the Archives: Is Blogging a Spiritual Gift? http://bit.ly/a5k5sE […]
Amanda_Sims says
Well, I don't know if "blogging" itself is a spiritual gift. But it definitely can be an expression of one's giftings. Those who are teachers, encouragers, etc – all of that tends to flow out of almost everything they do, and blogging is no exception.
jonese says
For me blogging is a manifestation of my spiritual gift (Exhortation). I blog as a release of ideas and in the hopes that something i write causes people to think (good or bad) and do something about those thoughts (argue with me, agree with me, spread the word etc).
I find that i get the most joy (Fruit of the Spirit) when i hear how someone has used one of my posts to lift up a friend, co-worker or themselves. So many people have inspired me to be transparent in my walk and journey in life that i can only hope that i'm glorifying God with my words on the blog AND my actions off the blog.
So is blogging a Spiritual Gift, as a manifestation for sure. I'd like to believe that Jesus would have had a blog and twitter account if they existed back in his day. π
ntumlinson315 says
i dug up some old Qumran manuscripts and yep, Paul actually talks about blogging being a spiritual gift! case closed lee strobel style…
daveanthold says
I agree with many of the comments above — I use blogging in a two-fold capacity. First, for my personal blog – my thoughts, feelings, etc. Second, I use it as an extension of our ministry outreach with our youth choir. When we are on the road – this is a way to keep our supporters, prayer warriors, etc involved in what is happening where we people are not. We also employ twitter.
BJ Flagg says
I would say Paul was the first blogger, and was quite spiritually gifted. Definite Q reference: Paul just HAD to talk to all those people in all those towns. Paul loved the idea that people shared the letters so he was careful not to repeat himself too much!
Phillip Gibb says
u can’t be serious?
ok, maybe in an indirect manner in the way you can connect and express the love of Christ or speak knowledge and healing – as examples – through the mechanism of a blog.
Gunnard says
yea, Ill agree on the whole "blog as extension of communication" or the use of it as a communication tool, the fact that all of us here are now talking about this topic while not actually not having spoken to one another is pretty cool and a "gift". Technology of any kind, twitter, FB, blogging can be used as a form of worship. Im sure some of these same arguments came up when Radio was invented, then TV and Betamax… etc..
David says
Blogging is communicating. Communicating is telling your story. Telling your story is marketing…not a spiritual gift. Wish it was, then more churches would do better marketing!
Prevail Magazine says
I guess it depends on the intent and effect of your communication. Romans 12:3 gives many examples of spiritual gifts that include teaching, encouragement, leadership, and more.
If your blog is helping others to learn, be encouraged, or be motivated/inspired, I would say you are exercising a spiritual gift.
human3rror says
Wow… ! What a beautiful website you guys have! Would you mind “connecting” and sharing your use of WordPress with the community here? π
Prevail Magazine says
Thanks!
Drop me a line and let me know what you have in mind π info at prevailmagazine dot org
jonese says
You could also say Blogging is communicating. Communicating is telling your story. Telling your story is evangelism which could be seen as a ministry Spiritual gift…..
words, definitions and meanings aside though i think it boils down to what's in our heart and what we feel God is leading us to use our blog's for, or how he's allowing others to interpret our words in their lives etc….
David says
Agreed. Well said!
David (@dg4G) says
As most have said…no, it's not a spiritual gift in itself (these are clearly outlined in the Bible, and none require any additional technology than what God gave us directly π
It's definitely an outlet for quite a few forms of the gifts though. A tool for using the gifts.
3amjosh says
I view blogging as a missionary tool more than anything else. Like a missionary who is doing "tent-making" working in a country like, working in a coffee shop, teaching english, etc. It can be used to connect to folks you can minister to in a relational way and meeting them where they are. If you are brilliant in technology, post tools and resources for folks and connect with them. If you are great at sales, tips on how you do things. I think the more relational you can be to who you are, the more authentic relationships will be built from that, and the more folks you can reach through your blogging.
Ancoti says
As in everything else we show some talent or proclivity towards, blogging is a gift from God. Whether you use it to His glory and to do the work of His kingdom is a matter of discernment, the confessional nature of your faith, desire to fulfill the Great Commission, your gift of evangelism, your concern for the lost, your willing to engage an unbelieving world. Maybe I better stop here!
Aaron says
Obviously, I believe that depends on what you're blogging about.
rickonline says
Hmm. Spiritual Gift? Just curious if everything has to be a "spiritual gift." Can you just be good at something? Or enjoy something? Without it being a spiritual gift?
For instance – I have some friends that are really good at playing Halo 3, so would being good at Halo 3 be a Spiritual gift? I think not. Perhaps they are just good at it, and enjoy it.
You can get into terms, and pick things down, so it breaks down at some point.
(ie – God gave you a brain, he gifted you to see, so it is a gift to be able to play video games, etc, etc. – you get the idea.)
I tend to think it's ok to simply enjoy something, just to enjoy it. Not having to make it "spiritual."
Just my thoughts.
David Porter says
I definitely think that blogging requires certain gifts. Consider these: Administration, Discernment, Evangelist, Exhortation, Faith, Giving, Knowledge, Leadership, Mercy, Shepherd, Service, Teacher, Wisdom.
Are not a great many of these involved in blogging?
I hope so!
haemin says
wouldn't call blogging itself a spiritual gift, but i think it's definitely a manifestation of several. like some people said, it can be used for exhortation, teaching, etc. but blogging – as i've realizing lately – is such a unique tool and outlet for these gifts. in order to use it effectively WITH your spiritual gifts, you have to understand your precise audience. this really applies to anything, for example, Tim Keller is one of the most gifted preachers i've ever heard, BUT if he preached 60min+ sermons to busy, fast-paced New Yorkers, they wouldn't listen. he's gifted by God, but he's effective b/c he understands his audience really can only take about 30 min of preaching max.
as for blogging, i think people can view it as a "special/spiritual" gift b/c some are just very very good at it. but really, it's just understanding the tool and its potential to reach a certain niche market. LOLcats and the Fail Blog know how to reach their audiences, but would you say that those people have a spiritual gift? not so much, right?
i think i had more to say, but i got distracted and now i've lost my train of thought. boo. anyway, this should be enough to work off of for now right? π
Ron_Tuffin says
I think a bunch of people have hit on the idea that blogging is a means to express/ use your spiritual gifting.
If you look at a list of biblical spiritual gifts, all of them need a form of expression or a way in which the gifting is worked out. Blogging is most definitely one of those 'forms of expression'
These forms of expression are continually evolving along with culture. (You don't see flannel-board being used much any more)
Take teaching for instance.
Teaching can be done verbally, in writing, large groups, small groups, books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, diagrams, cartoons, tutorials (online/group/written). Someone might be a gifted teacher but not a gifted speaker and therefore use a written medium. some teach better 'on the fly' in the middle of a discussion.