Jesus (Not Content!) is King.
Practical Advice for Christian Bloggers
The blogosphere presents an inherent dilemma for the Christian writer. The initial, pure desire to publish the gospel in a dark world conflicts with temptations towards pride, greed, and distraction. Pride, because bloggers find pressure to build their images through social media. Greed, from the temptation to quickly create income-generating readership. Distraction, because the pace of publishing can divert writers from staying in tune with God’s timing.
Writers are admonished to maintain a frenzied publishing pace fueled by a premise based on fear: readership decreases as posts decline. This may be true, but I believe most readers are less impressed with shallow inbox clutter and more impressed with someone who speaks when they have something of value to say. Forced creativity can cheapen the message and amount to nothing more than disrespect for the readers’ time. In this sense, familiarity breeds contempt.
Setting other work and family issues aside, as a Christian, I would much prefer to write sporadically yet more meaningfully to an audience who appreciates the value of what is written. One favorite blogger of mine publishes no more than once a month, yet I look forward to reading every word she writes. Len Wilson, who blogs about creativity, also writes less frequently but with more power. Relevance, not just frequency alone, is a key. Or, to put it in the words of the blogging moguls themselves, “Content is King.”www.ministrymatters.com/all/author/len_wilson
My King, however, is Jesus, and I endeavor to write when He inspires me, rather than when culture demands. Jesus, not content, is king. (More on this topic here.) Any relevant content I have to share comes from Him alone, and is worth publishing only within the confines of His will and timing. There is a time for everything, even for preaching the Gospel.
We invest ridiculous amounts of research into knowing exactly when to share a “tweet.” (Click here for a related article on this subject). Imagine how much more effective we would be if we invested that same energy into asking the Lord when He wants to speak! “As apples of gold in settings of silver, is a word spoken in season” (Proverbs 25:11).
To use an Old Testament analogy, it’s time to stop taking the census (looking at measurements) and start honoring the heart. Obligatory writing can kill our God-given, creative spirit in the end. Let’s not base a Christian writer’s success on statistics or speed. Let’s remember to ask the deeper question: Is my publishing led by the Lord or driven by demand?
© Deborah Perkins / HisInscriptions.com. For a helpful Checklist for Christian Writers, click here.