Do you ever wonder why you blog?
For some, the answer to that question is to simply have fun; for others, it’s because they get to make a living doing so.
But for the majority of Christian bloggers, we blog because we have something to say; something we strongly want to get out.
But can what we say actually make a difference? Especially in an online environment?
It’s a War-zone
Before you ever begin to think about what you’re going to talk about on your blog, it’s important know why you’re blogging.
The internet is not a walk through the park. You can take all the shortcuts and avoid all the wrong places, but sooner or later you have to realize what is happening on the other side of the bush.
So what is going on?
Porn is what’s going on, and if you don’t believe me, believe the fact that in Google alone, the keyword ‘porn’ is searched for an average of 618,000,000 times a month — this does not include keyword results from Bing or Yahoo.
Compare that with the keyword ‘money’ being searched for a mere 68,000,000 times a month and you’ll know where the real fight is.
So if this is the fight, the question then becomes, “How do I fight?”
The Need For Warriors
For the most part, the Christian blogosphere doesn’t have many warriors–it has lots of preachers, but few weepers; and most of the preachers are going unheard.
So eventually, either Christian’s will lose the fight for the online culture (I would even argue that they have or are on their way), or they will succeed in using it to their advantage.
What the Christian blogosphere needs are warriors, and those who know what they are doing.
- Do you train like a warrior? Practice your craft. In this case, it’s writing.
- Do you study your enemy? You won’t take down the beast without knowing his weak spot.
- Do you construct a strategy? How do you expect to confront the online culture without some sort of battle-plan?
- Are you offensive? I’m sorry, but unless you execute on your strategy, the enemy will only gain more ground.
These are just a couple of things a warrior does, but they aren’t all of them.
The Need for Weepers
What do I mean by ‘weepers’?
I mean simply that the battle for the online culture exceeds and far outgrows the boundaries of the Internet.
Where the real battle is taking place is in your heart, and in your children’s hearts, and the only hope of survival is in Jesus and His unwavering ability to break your heart for the broken.
You can blog all you want about purity and self-control and theology, but unless your heart isn’t buried in your words you aren’t going to see much fruit.
The simple solution? Pray…pray and don’t stop.
Can Blogging Be a Ministry?
There is no simple answer to this question; the answer is a yes and a no.
It’s “yes” because God uses every detail in our lives to proclaim Himself, but the answer is also no because at the basis of our terrible problem is a heart issue that runs deep within our generation, and no amount of digital text will convict a heart in and of itself.
But again, the answer is yes, blogging can be a ministry because there are already examples on the Internet of great blogs that preach the truth. Among these are The Resurgence, and the Gospel Coalition.
However, yeah, you guessed it, the answer is still, “no.” Blogging will never deal with the enormous problem that humanity faces. There is only one solution to the problem of the online culture and that solution is a Man and His name is Jesus Christ.
So I suppose a safe answer to this question is this: Blogging can be a ministry as long as you try to point someone to the truth, trusting the Holy Spirit to handle the rest.
Unfortunately, I fear many Christian blogs today are quite futilely trying to be that truth.
What do you guys think?
Matt Carlisle says
I feel blessed to have the opportunity to blog, and I hope that my readers are equipped with new tools to go make disciples. If my blog does that, then yes, blogging is a ministry.
Calvin Koepke says
I would agree with you, because if you’re equipping your readers to be disciples in life, then your blog is producing fruit. Glad you’re on the team Matt! 🙂
Antoine RJ Wright says
Blogging is a sub-category of journalism. If it’s possible that the latter can be a ministry activity, then this activity of blogging mirrors the same aims.
Any media/behavior that doesn’t point people to Christ, teach the truths and traditions of the faith, and then foster discipleship/mentoring relationships isn’t ministry. Blogging that doesn’t do all of these is simply religious activity.
Calvin Koepke says
True point on the journalism/blogging comparison.
But can your intent for your blog justify its existence? If it fails to do all of the things you say, and yet you’re trying to make it do that, then are you simply performing religious activity? I don’t think so.
But I see your point and it’s a good one.
Lou says
This hit the nail on the head. Blogging can be ministry when what we post ultimately points to Christ. The challenge for the blogger is to do that in creative ways to engage readers. The creativity that we can achieve has the potential to be powerfully evangelistic. I know when I read the posts of bloggers I respect, it gives me that added fire to transform my own blog into something kingdom-minded and less self-glorifying.
Calvin Koepke says
I couldn’t agree with you more Louis. Blogging in a creative manner is probably the hardest thing to do because it takes a stinkin’ amount of work!
But in the end its worth it if Christ is glorified…
Thanks for commenting!
Rob Rash says
That’s the whole reason I blog… to strengthen and encourage ministry leaders, worship pastors, and the church. If being a ministry is building the kingdom… then absolutely. If blogging os solely for ‘your’ name and not ‘his’ name… then it’s just blogging.
Great post Calvin! I’ll be re-posting this later!
Calvin Koepke says
Sweeet!
p.s. Do you make all your own header images on your blog?
Amy says
I stopped and asked myself the question of why I blog several months ago. At that point in time, i really didn’t know. It went back to why I started it in the beginning. Because I am a Christian, saved through the blood of Christ. He has a relationship with me and
I AM NOT PERFECT.
I didn’t want people to feel alone or like they were the “only ones”.
There is definitely a larger battle on the internet than many of us are aware of. I have blogged for 4 years and sometimes I think it doesn’t matter, but then I hear from someone who says “I went back to church because of something you said” or “I accepted Jesus, because you showed me that I didn’t need to have it together to have Him”, it’s worth it. 🙂
I agree with the others. This was a great post!
Calvin Koepke says
Glad to hear it Amy!
Awesome blog too. Keep it up 🙂
Amy says
Thank you. Sometimes i fall victim to “no one reads it, no one cares”, but I realign myself and remember that I am doing it for myself and God. The fact that He throws other people in there is such a blessing!
Calvin Koepke says
It’s true! Everyone wants traffic, but one person is enough if it points them to Christ.
Plus, developing a community and readership takes time. Hang in there 🙂
Kathryne says
I have a hidden aggenda when I blog about food: it is that everyone who reads my posts, know that they are important and loved. I don’t do it in a overt/preachy way but I do it none the less. I have been blessed by Jesus over and over again in my life and now I celebrate and share those blessings with my readers. A ministry?-no not in my case. But an opportunity to show the world where true love comes from any time that I am asked.
Calvin Koepke says
That’s cool Kathryne. In some way that’s a creative approach, and I kind of think your blog could just be your testimony.
Either way, you rock! 🙂
Matt Powell says
This is great. I sort of see blogging as comparative to the inflammation the printing press had on Luther’s writings. Also, if you think about the traveling evangelists such as Wesley and others… Not that blogging by any means could be a direct comparison to these examples but blogging is an explosion on some basic ministry ideas that have been changing lives for many years. At the click of a button we can spread truth to thousands… maybe millions. I think the evangelists of history such as Luther or Wesley would have added blogging to their ministry strategy if they would have had the opportunity. Some randoms thoughts there that have passed through my crazy mind 🙂
Calvin Koepke says
Hmmm….intersting thoughts.
You have a good point though, about how we can spread the truth at the click of a mouse. The hard part is getting that truth seen, and also learning to lean on the Holy Spirit, rather than our writing.
But yeah dude, nice 😉
Andrea York (@andreayorkmuse) says
Excellent food for thought; as a newbie to the Christian blogging world (2 weeks today) I thought a lot about whether I was just adding to the noise that already invades the Christian blogging world.
Perhaps, but I don’t think so. The Lord told me very specifically 7 years ago to write (my first post is about that (http://bit.ly/ke3hYJ). I’ve done writing through different avenues (I was in church leadership so there was a built-in reader base) but in addition to that first word from the Lord, I’ve received several prophetic words that confirm I am supposed to write. So I obey. What he does with it is really no concern of mine. Do I want to ‘succeed’? Absolutely, but it’s more important that I am listening to the Lord’s voice rather than being concerned if I am reaching a wide audience.
The one thing that I don’t agree with in your post is your 2nd point – do you study your enemy? No, I don’t. I worship the Lord. My eye is on the Father, to hell with the enemy.
Calvin Koepke says
Thanks for commenting Andrea, and I see your point about not focusing on the enemy, and keeping your eyes fixed on the beauty of Jesus.
I think it may help to clarify that what I meant by studying the enemy was by knowing the true depravity of Man on the internet. For example, the statistic that ‘porn’ is searched for 618,000,000 times a month is so staggering to me that I have no solution other than concentrated and intentional prayer.
I wouldn’t have the urgency or the burden to attack that arena if I thought everyone was just doing dandy.
So maybe it would be better to say that we should study the enemies tactics. It’s true that Jesus should be our focal point, but the Bible also says that the enemy is clever and comes in disguises. I think it’s good to not be ignorant.
(Write a ton. I’ll read what you write when I can.)
Tyler Hess says
I consider my blog to be a ministry in that the information we put out serves other believers either directly or indirectly in ways that point people to Christ. Yes, it is about music, but we cover bands who are Christians, who themselves also point people to Christ through either their music or the way that they interact with their fans. In that way it is a support ministry. I also write editorials that often serve as a kind of a devotional writing that relates to Christian music. It may not be as obvious as the work of a missionary or a pastor, but I believe music and blogging are tools that can be used to show people Christ (yes, by the Spirit), just as any other ministry does.
Thanks for the post!
Calvin Koepke says
You’re welcome! Keep writing Tyler, music rocks! 🙂
David Edmisten says
Blogging is definitely ministry. The key, as you pointed out, is pointing to Jesus as the soul of why you write. Any ministry – be it a blog, a church, an outreach program, a speaker – can be fruitful or self-gratifying, depending on how it is conducted and where the heart of its leaders may be.
I think one of the hardest things is to keep our faith online. When you type and type and share and pray, you still have no idea what impact your ministry is having. Staying close to the Father and following as He leads is key.
We’ve been blessed to receive feedback from our readers about how they are choosing to go deeper with God, to be encouraged, and to spend more time in the Word. That is the fruit we are seeking. It’s hard to measure, for sure, but God is gracious to reveal our touch at those moments when we need to be encouraged to keep going. Walking by faith, not sight, is so true in this sphere.
Calvin Koepke says
I actually never thought about how important it is to walk by faith and not by sight in the area of blogging (or anything online, for that matter).
Good points David.
Simon L Smith says
Can Blogging Be a Ministry?
I sure hope so – and I certainly do think so.
My blog is currently fairly specific – and shortsighted – in that it is mostly talking about Infant Salvation.
Infant Salvation is a fairly small topic with very little online chatter, most of which is more emotional than theological.
My prayer is that my blog (http://www.saintdepraved.com) will be eventually be a place where parents like me – parents who have lost a child – can go for hope.
God bless.
Calvin Koepke says
I think your blog can definitely be a ministry in giving people hope. Although, I gotta admit, you’re tackling a hard subject–but I know why you have to.
Keep writing, cause you’re good, and I’ll be praying for you whenever the Lord puts you on my heart.
p.s. Your blog could turn into a book one day? I noticed posts that are labeled as chapters…