Read all the previous posts in the Blogging 101 for Pastors series, including 5 Questions responders.

Joe Carter of Evangelical Outpost answered my 5 Blogging Questions.

Here they are:

1. Why (or how) did you start blogging?

Three years ago I stumbled across a small book, In, But Not Of: A Guide to Christian Ambition, by radio host (and blogger) Hugh Hewitt. I took it home and devoured it in one sitting; it was the type of vade mecum that I wish someone had given me my junior year of high school. The entire book was amazing but it was the topic of Chapter 33 (Start and Maintain a Weblog) that gave me the answer I was looking for. That night I opened an account with Blogger, added my first post. I've been blogging every since.

2. What subject do you post most about?

I tend to write about culture, politics, and religion and how the three intersect.

3. What are your favorite blog tools?

Publishing tool: Movable Type (though I've also enjoyed using WordPress)

Stats: Sitemeter. It's not particularly accurate but it's simple and convenient.

Feedreader: Google Reader. I put off using a feedreader for the first 2.5 years I blogged. Now I couldn't live without it.

4. How often do you post?

Once a day, Monday through Friday.

5. What one piece of advice would you give for prospective blogging pastors?

Do it only if you feel "called." I know that term has become something of a cliché (or a cop-out) but blogging is very time and labor intensive. Unless you feel that the Lord is calling you to spend time using this medium to communicate, stick to reading blogs. However, if you do feel led to blog, treat it just as seriously as you would any other ministry. That doesn't mean, of course, that you can't be humorous or light-hearted or even, on rare occasions, trivial. But if you are going to go to all the trouble to earn a readers trust and have a modicum of influence on them, do so responsibly. Bad bloggers are annoying. Bad blogging pastors, however, can actually be harmful.

[ Read all the previous posts in this series ]


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