Blog–“The term blog is a blend of the terms web and log, leading to web log, weblog, and finally blog. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called blogging. Individual articles on a blog are called “blog posts,” “posts” or “entries”. A person who posts these entries is called a blogger.”

—www.wikipedia.com

Blogging RP Pastors

Barry York sycamorerpc.blogspot.com

Jared Olivetti measureofmydays.blogspot.com

James Faris searchingthingsout.blogspot.com

Blogging as a Tool for the Church

According to Wikipedia.com, “A blog (or weblog) is a web site in which messages are posted and displayed. …Like other media, blogs often focus on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news. Some blogs function as online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic.”

Pastors and churches have jumped on the blogging bandwagon, using their sites as a tool to evangelize, teach, and provide information about their churches.

“The fact is that so many of us, especially the younger set, are engaging in great conversation using Internet tools. Why lose out on the opportunity?” said Jared Olivetti, associate pastor of Lafayette, Ind., RPC. “I believe blogs can add to the church’s voice in the world. It’s a medium where much communication and some valuable dialogue already occurs, so it becomes relatively easy to add a pastor’s voice to the mix.”

Pastor Olivetti isn’t the only RP pastor blogging. “One of the goals developed by the session for our congregation is to use the various forms of media, and especially the Internet, to promote the faith,” Pastor Barry York, of the Sycamore (Kokomo, Ind.) RPC, said. “One way the elders encouraged this was through the development of a web site and having me blog as a way to share insights from Scripture and thoughts from life that we are not able to do in other formats.”

While Pastor York acknowledges that blogs could reach anyone around the world, he started the blog mainly for his congregation and people in the area. “Since many people are now regularly on the web, it helps me to stay in touch with our congregation. I can address certain issues or questions that arise, or share things that may be of help to them,” he said.

Pastor Olivetti uses his blog to supplement his sermons. “A lot of what I study during the week doesn’t make it into sermons, and other specific Bible studies I do might be useful to others; blogs present an opportunity to maximize my teaching time by providing some of those lessons and insights to a broader audience,” he said. Olivetti also posts book reviews on his blog. “I don’t know if it helps others so much, but it really cements in my mind the content of the books and my opinion of them.”

Because of the nature of blogs, Pastor Olivetti tries to keep his posts short. “Most who frequent blogs don’t budget enough computer time to dig into a 10-page article on justification,” he said. “Because of this, there is a limit to how deeply or widely any topic can be searched.”

He also said blogging limits the type of topics discussed. “Clarity and charity are often lost when discussions aren’t face to face, so I try to be extremely careful whenever I engage in polemics or anything that could be misconstrued as mean-spirited. Because of this, I try to steer clear of theological hot buttons and focus more on what might build up the saints.”

Pastor York agrees with this limitation. “Though you can be personal or get personal in blogging, the lack of face-to-face interaction, inability to give an immediate response, and the use of anonymity or partial veiling of one’s identity that many employ makes blogging inherently impersonal all-in-all.”

Still, there are many positives to blogging. “The informal nature of most blogs allows for a cyberspace dialogue to develop,” Pastor York said. “Readers can leave comments at the end of a blog entry, and the blogger can respond.” He has named his blog “Under the Sycamore Tree” to encourage his readers to “sit a spell” and discuss issues.

He also said that blogs help keep him connected. “I have found blogging connects me with others in the denomination and the greater body of Christ, both by reading their blogs and having them read mine,” he said.

Connecting the Church Around the World

Pastors aren’t the only people using blogs to stay connected. Titus Martin, Jason O’Neill, and Matt Stewart used a blog while on their around-the-world missionary trip to keep prayer and financial supporters up to date on their travels. While Titus admits that “blogging is uncharacteristic of me” and that he doesn’t read other people’s blogs, he said they can be a good tool. “You provide information about current ministry or insight to ministry and that information is available to anyone who is interested,” he said.

Brandon and Megan Fisher, of the Lafayette, Ind., RPC, have recently moved to Australia and use their blog to keep family and friends up to date on their lives. “We also strive to blog for the kingdom of Jesus Christ as much as that can be done,” Brandon said. “I guess the practical side is giving God the glory and seasoning the blog with His work in our lives.”

Brandon has also used others’ blogs to keep in touch with those at home. “I have greatly enjoyed the blogs of Pastors Barry York and Jared Olivetti. It’s a great supplement to the teaching in worship and can also be used to post the psalms that will be sung as well as sermon topic, title, and passage.”

In addition to their family and friends, the couple’s blog has had some random visitors. “We have had some contact from outside bloggers who come across our site that give opportunity for witness,” Brandon said.

Connecting the Church at Home

High school and college-age students around the denomination use blogging to help stay in touch with each other. “Because we who are bloggers are more often younger and less likely to use mechanisms such as CovieNet, other bloggers may find vital information by blogging that they might not easily find elsewhere,” Nathaniel Pockras, a blogger and student at Geneva College, said.

The Belle Center, Ohio, RPC member admitted that a few times he has been “reminded of the ability of anyone to read matters and the lack of privacy” by mentioning things that could hurt himself or others. “As a result, I have learned better to consider what information should be made public and what information should be kept private,” Nathaniel said.

Nathaniel mentioned a tool on the blog that he enjoyed. The audioblogger service on Blogger.com allowed him to post to his blog from the hospital during a recent illness by calling a number and leaving a message. That message was then turned into an Mp3 sound file on his blog where others could find out how he was doing.

One of Michael Fulk’s primary purposes of blogging is to “keep my friends and family updated on some of the things I have been up to. This has been especially helpful as I have now moved to Pittsburgh to attend school.” The Indiana native also uses his blog to write out thoughts, save ideas, and showcase some of his web site work.

Michael said blogs can be used as a tool to “evangelize and expand the presence of Christ on the Internet.” He added, “I think that we, as Christians, should claim this part of technology for Christ and be the best at it over all others.”

Laura Bond, a college student and member of the Lisbon, N.Y., RPC, said she uses her blog as a journal. “I view my blog as an extension of my personality, rather like a journal, but it’s also one of the primary ways I stay in touch with people and events. I use the blog to get feedback on ideas, or to share things that are important to me, and have often posted devotional-type jots of what I’m reading in Scripture, or what I’ve been meditating on.”

Laura said she has been encouraged by other blogging Christians. “I can’t count the number of times people have encouraged me from the Scriptures in comments or entries, and have offered prayer, advice, and a kingdom perspective.”

She thinks blogs could be a good tool for congregations by posting events, prayer requests, and news as a supplement to the tools that already exist for this purpose.

Joe Rizzo, a Broomall, Pa., RPC blogger, agreed. “I think it could be used as a way to share prayer requests and congregational news.” He also thinks it can be used as a way to encourage and uplift others. “I have asked questions in my post that were theological in nature to survey those that subscribe to me to see if they might have some insight into the Word.”

Many people around the church are blogging to keep in touch with each other and be a witness to Christ on the Internet. Laura said that, since we hear many negative things associated with the Internet, we should “use this medium to present the truth.”

Who should blog, and how should blogs be used? Pastor Olivetti sums it up well. “Realistically, blogging isn’t for everyone or even every pastor. But it might be considered as a possibly effective tool in feeding the saints and spurring them on in their walks with Christ,” he said. “It can be a good, efficient way to teach and listen and encourage and reflect.”

Finding Fellowship

Some bloggers join networks of likeminded people on the blog site they use. On Xanga.com, for instance, there are several “blog rings” of people who are Reformed Presbyterians. Often, however, blog rings are open to anyone and are not moderated, so a degree of caution and wisdom must be exercised when participating.