Reasons to Blog

Melinda Penner of Stand to Reason Weblog has an interesting post up based on Hugh Hewitt's book Blog. She says:

The real power, as I see it, in what Hugh has to say to Christians is that every individual Christian can blog and have influence. It’s a great way of sharing one’s gifts, knowledge, and experience with people they’d never otherwise meet. It’s a way for someone who’s shy or embarrassed to express themselves with a bit of cover. An individual Christian’s influence may be a half dozen people, but that is probably a half dozen people you didn’t have influence with before. If it’s difficult to share your thoughts and views at work or at school, write them in a blog and send your coworkers and friends there. Christians have all kinds of gifts and expertise that don’t get used well in the local church; take your ministry in your own hands and blog it – always remembering to be a winsome and attractive ambassador.

Jeremy Thiessen, the so-called Normal Rockstar, points to Melinda's post in his introduction to blogging for his fans entitled To Blog or Not to Blog. He says:

Don't let blogging & your desire for influence replace your relationship with the Lord and those closest to you. Blogging is just like ice cream: it's a good thing in reasonable doses, but too much of it can be a very bad thing. Make sure you set guidelines for how much time you're going to spend on it and what exactly you want to say. And have someone hold you to those guidelines - remember that there are real, breathing people near you who need your attention more than those in cyberspace... keep the main things the main things!