“I’ll safely predict anyone who doesn’t take the time to understand blogging as an evangelical phenomenon will soon wish they had . . .”
” . . . . blogging is among the most equalized of all current mediums of communication available to evangelicals, and as such, it deserves some efforts at comprehension by those considering what evangelicalism will look like in its future.”
Michael Spencer (iMonk), “An Optimistic View of Blogging Evangelicalism: Community, Confessional Conversations and Adventures In Self-Criticism”
As for the last paragraph . ..
“Blogger Andrew Jones has suggested that the church plant of the future will involve choosing a name, an easily accessed coffeeshop and, of course, making a good-looking church blog. Jones is suggesting that blogging, as a means of self-publishing and community creation, will become essential to the formation of church communities in the future. He may be optimistic, and he may be manifesting that evangelical crush on new technology I mentioned earlier. I happen to believe he is substantially correct, and that we can welcome a spirit-led, Christ-imitating blogged revolution as a worthy goal of the evangelicalism of the future. ”
Well, i may have said that. And if so, let me explain and expand
1. Good looking blog? If i said that, i meant to say an integral looking blog – a church blog should reflect the character, flavor and artistic sensibilities of the people it represents. Anything more is false advertising and wishful thinking.
Technorati Tags: blog, church, cyberchurch, emerging church
2. Optimistic? Yes, because i see the potential. But I am also REALISTIC, having already seen this in the present, not the future. There are already churches of young people whose communal blog is the officiating presence. What the building did for traditional churches, a group blog is doing for organic emerging churches.
My thoughts?
Great paper and a message that needs to be heard. I’m with Michael – this is here to stay and we have to deal with it.
I think we also have to look at blogging in the context of other hypertext databases that are being created (such as online encyclopedias) and the cultural shift from document to database that has already happened among children. Then it will become clear that we are not talking about a 10 year fad but an entirely new way of storing and accessing information that will be, I believe, as radical as the invention of the printing press.
HT: Randy
Interestingly I’ve not long started a blog for our young people (www.qpcrypt.typepad.com). I killed our web site as only one person knew code so could up date it, plus a web site is “static” and does not allow the reader to publicly have a voice.
However I think this shift to using technology has huge implications for leadership. If the church is to embrace things like blogs then it will mean a lot of people who are in “control” lossening their grip. Some will be humble enough to do this, many however will not.