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| Blog Sites, Love 'em or Leave 'em |
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An email message to a new MyChurch friend, prompted this blog about blog sites.
In my part time capacity as Ministries Director, I was exploring ways to better connect with my church members and other Christians. I thought I'd start by joining up with the most popular site, MySpace. After completing my profile, interests, hobbies and whatever...I started to receive friend requests. The problem with that was they were from younger girls that wanted me to view there explicit websites. Sure, I thought, they'll be my friend...for a price! I kept receiving these requests. Well, needless to say, I didn't want my church members to join up and receive the same tempting solicitations. Now, I'm sure that there are some very legitimate MySpace accounts and it's great fun to connect and reconnect this way...but there's a great danger lurking around.
Being prompted by a magazine article, I then reviewed Facebook. Same thing. Next I tried BlogSpot. I remember I was showing this blog site to my Pastor and randomly selected another blog page and it fell upon a very explicit gay blog site. With photos and everything! Surely these two were not where I wanted my congregation to go. Isn't there any popular websites out there that can be good for Christians?
Of course the answer is yes. Outreach magazine had several suggestions, MyChurch.org was one of them. For the five months that I have been part of the MyChurch family, I have found that the blogs are intelligent, the participants are highly motivated to encourage and share thoughts about Scripture and Christian ethics and have accomplished all of this without a single expletive, sexual innuendo, threats of violence, or negativism. I have been encouraged in my spirit and I hope others have been encouraged by my blogs.
So, where does this leave places like MySpace, Facebook and Blogspot? For me, it is a ministry bonanza. After all, it's where young people live today. For them, it's computers, texting, and games. Ministry today is all about going where the people are, not inviting them to where you are. I would highly suggest, however, that if you plan to be a Christian witness to folks on these sites, that you confirm your pure motivations and remain strongly founded in your faith.
I have chosen to stay with MyChurch, even though I wish more of our computer savvy church members would see the benefits and log on. I have left the ministry to the other secular sites to others. I, on the other hand, have decided to follow God's leading in developing a multi-site location in our community called The Bridge (see my last two blogs about The Bridge Updates). |
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| To add a comment to "Blog Sites, Love 'em or Leave 'em" |
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| May 21, 2008 |
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| Yes, I too have been impressed with MYCHURCH. It is not perfect, but a good forum. I have enjoyed making some good contacts on here. Like your blogs too, especially the 2x4. God bless your ministry endeavor. |
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| May 21, 2008 |
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| Wonderful Ed! |
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| May 21, 2008 |
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Brother Todd -- Thanks for reading my blogs! You know...it makes the time worth it when someone actually reads them!
Mike -- Thanks to you, too! I know that you are a faithful reader...and not just mine!
Cathy -- (a new friend) Thanks for your encouragement! |
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| May 21, 2008 |
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"...it makes the time worth it when someone actually reads them!" LOL...Ed, I couldn't agree more!! |
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| May 21, 2008 |
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| I love MyChurch. |
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| May 21, 2008 |
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Thanks guys, your comments and encouragement is why I do this.
Cathy -- I know what you're saying...I, too, find it hard to follow some blogs that are long and small font, so I try to remember to kick it up a notch (where have I heard that before?) or two for folks like you and me. |
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| May 23, 2008 |
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| Great blog |
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| May 30, 2008 |
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Deb -- You are a great person! I love reading your blogs, too.
Preacher -- Yeah, I could be online all day writing, reading and absorbing. But, alas, I have other responsibilities and duties. BTW, I visited Wings of Faith website...great stuff. You're going to them--what a great concept!!!!!!!!!! (wasn't that what Jesus did?) |
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