Although a number of blogs might “seem” like digital preaching, the medium controls so much of how it actually comes off.
A recent post by John Piper quoting Tope Koleoso about why he shouts when he preaches got me thinking critically about what is “lost” when we attempt to communicate online.
Tope goes onto say that
I don’t ever shout for effect, for preaching is not acting. I shout because I mount the pulpit to preach with three overriding emotions bubbling up in my soul – Anger, Joy and Love.
These three however, have an effect on how I preach…
Good preaching happens when the Holy Spirit moves the heart of the preacher by the text, the preachers experience, and the “now” Word of God to his soul. All of these move me at an emotional and spiritual level. Emotional because my heart is involved. Spiritual because the Holy Spirit is involved.
This means that during the sermon, any one of the mentioned emotions, (Anger, Joy or Love), spill out without warning or apology. This is because when I am preaching, I am angry at satan and sin, I am joyful about salvation and hope, and I am eager to show the Love of God to the lost.
Therefore, I shout, I laugh, I cry, and I dance. Therefore, I use my voice, my hands, my legs and my eyes. Therefore, I will do it with utter conviction and passion for if I will not do it from the heart, I will not do it at all.
It’s a large quote, but it’s worth reading, and he goes on to explain even more here.
Amazing, how “limiting” the blog medium truly is! Through only our written words are we communicating. We can try to SHOUT (all caps) and do smiley faces (or sad faces), but it just doesn’t really communicate fully.
If anything, it really reminds me of how truly important the exact words that I say and my choice and reasoning behind using them, because that, my friends, is all that I’ve got.
Just words on a screen.
How have you seen blogging as a limitation to communication? What are your thoughts?
[Image from *Mars]
Adam_S says
Blogging is no more (and maybe less) limiting than most other written forms of communication. Written communication has been proclaiming the gospel for thousands of years so I don't think we need to worry about it too much. On the less limiting sides, the opportunity for two way communication with comments and longer term relationships between author and reading actually moves it up past books and most other forms of written communication.
human3rror says
😉 i knew someone would bring it up…!
but, to catalogue blogging with written material is sometimes a big jump!
Adam_S says
I agree they are very different. But like I said I think blogging is much closer to preaching than Piper wants to admit. In fact, I think that Piper and many others lift up the sermon way higher than they should. The sermon is an important part of the Christian life, but we have made it central not only to our learning, but our evangelism, our discipleship, and our sacraments. So while I think it is not really preaching, I think that is a good thing. It is actually two-way in many cases and relationship building. I don't think anyone really would describe preaching as a relationship building experience. If you believe, as I do, that evangelism is primarily about the relationship (and not the information sharing) then you would want to put more effort into blogging and other relational mediums and less into preaching.
Phillip Gibb says
There may be a quandary here. Have you ever read a book and then seen the movie (or the other way around) and thought that the book was better? There is a lot lost in the written word that can only be expressed in the spoken, but sometimes the impact can be more in the written medium.
Yet I am sure in the case of blogging, there is a time coming soon where video blogging will be the logical and obvious choice. For me it is near impossible to partake in 'vlogs' or a lot of video in blogs in in any feasible way – not enough bandwith. Otherwise it can break down a lot of those 'possible' limiting factor.
Jim says
blogging will become (might already be)an art form. we can write creatively to create pictures for the eyes to see.when you were a kid, did you read books and imagine what the picture would look like?
Mikes says
firs time to really take it this way and i think it's making sense. I just wish that words written on my site will be used by God mightily to cut through hearts like a double edged sword but something who can encourage as well through the Word of God!