Blogging – A Ministry Tool According to The Alabama Baptist

“Blogging. It is one of the newest words in the American vernacular, and it has become a surprisingly effective way to reach to others with the gospel message.”

Those were the first lines of a recent news article in the current edition of The Alabama Baptist (August 31, 2006) written by Cheryl Sloan Wray. As I read this article, I must admit the first thing that came to my mind was, one, the comments of outgoing president of the SBC Bobby Welch when he said, “Maybe if we spent less time blogging we would spend more time baptizing.” The second thing I that came to my mind was the comment of an editor of another state paper who said that the bloggers were nothing but the “SBC graffiti.” So to see another state paper counter with some positive news on blogging is a little surprising and certainly encouraging.

Wray interviewed Alan Cross, pastor of Gateway Baptist Church (Montgomery, AL) and daily blogger, who compared the blogosphere to the water coolers of yesteryear in that it has provided “an excellent way for laypeople, as well as ministers, to get into meaningful discussions with others all around the world. . . . It can be a good tool to touch people’s hearts and engage their lives.”

Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, also has a blog which he started about a year ago after Hurricane Katrina. Lance said he uses his blog “to communicate with his statewide audience about important happenings, as well as share personal insights.” Wray comments that Lance agreed that blogs “provide a wonderful witnessing opportunity for Baptists and all Christians.” Lance explains,

“I hope that blogging can be used for the purpose of witnessing to those who do not know Christ and encouraging believers who do Him. In this sense, blogging can be a tool of communication in the kingdom of God.”

Over the past year, I have been encouraged to see influential pastors and theologians like John MacArthur, Mark Dever, Tom Ascol, Mark Driscoll, Josh Harris, and Lig Duncan enter the blogosphere. While blogging is simply a tool and may end up being a fad, it has received predominately a negative report from those within the SBC. Are there elements of the blogosphere that I hate and think should not exist? You bet I do, but that goes for newspapers, television, radio, and other medium of communication Christians are using to impact our world.

I know that Bobby Welch may see an article like this as detrimental to his aspirations of reaching a million baptisms (a campaign which is inherently flawed), but I highly doubt that the rise of blogging pastors will diminish the work of the Great Commission any more than other vested interests or forms of recreation of Christians. And while some may think of all this blogging a bunch of graffiti, I must say, some of it looks quite good, and the walls of the SBC could sure use some more. Update: Now for something we could definitely do without, check this out. Anyone who buys one of these needs to be left behind (HT: Alex Forrest). . . . For all you Lahaye fan's, I'm only kidding. :)