To go along with our Innovative Church series we opted to do a little poll to find out how innovative your church is. The results are not that encouraging.
The majority (35%) went for “Depends on what you mean. Is using colored paper for handouts innovative?”–which, in case you were wondering, is not very innovative. Thankfully 25% said their church innovates like nobody’s business. Closely followed by those who asked if using MySpace was innovative (23%), which is fairly innovative (it’s not ground-breaking and mind-shattering, but it’s pretty with it). A depressingly-high 17% said their church would be innovative 50 years ago.
This week we turn to the innovation of blogging with a resurrected poll. We first asked the question a little more than a year ago, so it will be interesting to see how that’s changed. It’s also quite timely, considering the book The Blogging Church came out earlier this month (a book CMS just happens to be mentioned in).
Geoffrey Brown
January 30, 2007
Okay, our new Vicar (Pastor to most people on this list) does have a blog. http://trinitylimerock.blogspot.com if you want to take a look — probably you should.
Honestly, his blog is pretty good. He is charismatic and smart — really smart, probably brilliant; with a doctorate from Princeton and a track record as a “fire-fighter” for our diocese, you should definitely keep your eye on him!
Here are the problems that I see with his blog:
(1) There is limited to no coordination with the other electronic presences of the parish (web and e-mail).
(2) There is no opportunity to reply (I thought that the ability to reply to posts was almost the essence of blogging!).
On the other hand, every post I read on his blog stimulates my intellectual curiosity and, occasionally, my spiritual curiosity. If a blog does that, even for one person, what more can we ask?
Anyway, he has made me re-think electronic ministry.
Geoff Brown
Jody
January 31, 2007
My mom bought me The Blogging Church for Christmas! I haven’t received in the mail yet, but I’m stoked. My mom is not a Christian but she is very supportive of me going to church, and she even reads my church blog.
One thing that always amazes me is how receptive the unbelievers in my life are to reading an open, engaging blog about church, Jesus, faith, etc. Even if they are just lurking, they approach me in person to share their thoughts. It’s been an incredible tool for those who are in our church and for those who are looking for a church and for those who would never step foot in a church.
I understand blogs aren’t for everyone, but I really encourage everyone to try it and see if it takes off.
Jody
January 31, 2007
PS- here is the correct blog address (the one on my previous posts was…spelled wrong!)