Blogging

Boost Communication by Blogging
Written by Julie Langmade
Note: This is the third article in a three-part series on how to effectively use technology in women’s ministry. Take a minute to read the first two articles before continuing.
“Should I be blogging?” This may be a question you’re asking yourself, that is, unless you’re asking “What is a blog?” The word “blog” is short for “web log,” which is basically an online diary or journal. Free tools such as WordPress (http://www.wordpress.com) and Blogger (http://www.blogger.com) make it easy for anyone to become an online author. The subjects of blogs can range from everyday activities of life to political issues or promotion of a cause. It’s really an opportunity to put your thoughts into words and send them into cyberspace. Scary, huh?
The Blogging Church
So what’s their role in women’s ministry? A blog can become another method of communication. An entry on a blog is called a post. Posting to the blog can be done quickly and easily. Where you might have to go through one or more people to update your Web site, updating your blog can be done yourself from anywhere you have an Internet connection.
Websites are often one-way communication, meaning you put up content for visitors to read, but more than likely there is no way for visitors to respond to that content. Blogging gives you the ability to interact with your readers by using the comment function provided by all blogging tools. Comments can be added to any post, and most tools provide some form of approval process for those comments. For example, you may post a devotional once a week to your blog and then women can respond and express their thoughts or what they’ve learned.
Once you start blogging, you’ll begin to build a network with other bloggers who are a part of your ministry. You can keep track of your network by adding people to your blogroll (a list of blogs you frequently read). These people could be people you know or don’t know. The main purpose is to let your readers know what other blogs you visit and who you know in the blogging world. You might find that if you start a blog, many of your women might decide to join you forming somewhat of a cyber sisterhood.
Because everything done in your women’s ministry should have a purpose, you might want to ask yourself the following questions before you begin to blog:
What am I trying to accomplish by having a blog?
Do I have enough new content to post at least 3 times a week? If you post to your blog less than 3 times a week, you’ll lose readers. Bloggers like to see new content and see it often.
Do I have the time to maintain the blog? It takes time to read and approve the comments. You want to make sure that if you don’t have the time, you involve one of your team members who does.
Do I have methods of promoting the blog? You can add it to your e-mail signature and to your printed pieces. You can also post some fun videos and pictures to make all the time you invest worthwhile.
Blogging is also another way to involve more women in the ministry. This time you’re looking for writers. Who are the women in your ministry who have a great knowledge of the Word or who are overflowing with wisdom and can put those things into writing? Who are the great chefs who can contribute recipes? The possibilities for posts are endless. Long Hollow Women (http://longhollowwomen.wordpress.com) and Craving Grace (http://cravinggrace.org/) are two examples of women’s ministries that have launched into the blogosphere by involving lots of women in the church to post about a plethora of topics. Starting reading these on a regular basis and you might even be inspired to start one of your own! Allow technology to be just one more tool you use to reach the women in your church, community, and around the world.