“Should I consider blogging?” It seems like something of a no brainer to answer that question. As Christians, we have the words of life given to us in the form of Scripture. We have been commanded to share the gospel, to give an answer for the hope that lies within us, and to defend the doctrinal purity of God’s word. Therefore, if we are commanded to do these things, then it makes sense to use any and all available means to do so. This would include writing blog articles on the internet. With its vast resources and ability for people to immediately access any form of media, the internet provides the Christian with access to potentially millions of lost souls for the sake of the gospel. A well written article on a high traffic blog could potentially affect unknown numbers of souls for the sake of the Kingdom. So blogging is almost an essential for a follower of Christ to have these days. Isn’t it?
The first time I sat at the keyboard and wrote an article, I wrote about evangelism. When I did so, I wrote in the manner as virtually every other evangelist I had seen on the internet. I shared about the need for evangelism, I wrote about recent encounters with lost souls and asked for prayers, and then I wrote virtually the same article the following week. And the week after that. And the week after that. The details changed, but the articles were the same. I wanted to share the need for the gospel and I wanted to convey to members of the body of Christ how desperately we needed to preach it. The truth was, however, I was merely mimicking what everyone else was doing.
It took a while before I started to understand that sharing the same stories week after week, while often informative, did little to actually educate and edify the body of Christ. I began to seek out different subjects or events to highlight the need the church was, in my estimation, ignoring. I wrote about tragedies, newsworthy items, and public events to show the thinking of the unsaved, secular world. I implored my readers to see these things as evidence of a world falling further into the abyss of sin, a world which could only be rescued by the gospel.
In time, I began to realize that, in my exhortation to get Christians to proclaim the gospel, I rarely, if ever, explained the gospel. On one of the blogs I wrote for, I took three articles to discuss what the gospel was and how to share it. I even went so far as to attempt to make those articles into a published booklet (which is still in limbo at present) so that it may get into the hands of readers more easily. I truly wanted to use the medium of writing to convey to people we had an urgent and immediate task to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. While occasionally, I would write about issues in the church, or I would post articles that I felt may edify the body of Christ, I primarily wrote in a manner that was a rebuke of other Christians who did not preach the gospel.
In due course a crisis of conscience to took hold of me. No one could question my devotion to the gospel. I made it clear that my intent was to honor God and save souls. But the truth was, I had a pretty high opinion of myself. I was preaching the gospel while others were not. My repeated articles were not about addressing the needs of the body to apply the gospel to itself, but a constant barrage of commands to preach the gospel, no matter what the readers’ circumstances were. However, over time, God began to expose to me that my articles were all the same. I took my basic understanding of scripture, my training in sharing the biblical gospel and wrote to my fellow brethren as though I were a learned scholar and as though I had the authority of their local pastors. While I had an operating knowledge of Scripture, I confess that much of what I wrote was based on a paraphrased understanding of God’s word. I had not the knowledge or the authority to write in the rebuking manner that I had been guilty of.
Over time, I wrote less and less. I began to question my right to put pen to paper, or in this case, fingers to keyboard. I began to read and study more, and I paid closer attention to the tone and content of respected writers. I saw a vast difference between who I was and those God had used in this field. I am now in a process of repenting of that which I have done and am asking God to use me in a manner worthy of Him. I write this today in hopes I can influence others to take stock of themselves and, either repent of a similar heart, or to be encouraged that they are submitting to God rightly in their blogging.
As Christians, when we step out to do any work in the name of God – be it evangelism, preaching, teaching, administrations, or even blogging – we should do so with the specific intent of glorifying the Lord. If there is any other motivation whatsoever, we are wrong. Period. There is no means by which we can justify any work if our motivation is not solely for the glorification and the lifting up the name of Him who saved us through the shed blood of our Savior. All other motivations, no matter how lofty sounding, are sinful.
So, should we blog? The short answer is, yes; however, the caveat must be that we seek to glorify the Lord in doing so. That, in itself encompasses a great many issues. Are we writing the same topics as everyone else, essentially regurgitating what others have said? Have we brought any perspective to the topic that brings the reader to the cross in humility? Or are we mimicking others simply so that we can say we have written on a popular subject? Do we have biblical insight that we can impart to our readers, or are we simply summarizing what we think the Bible says? These are not questions designed to cause the reader to believe that, unless they have some fresh, new concept, never before heard, that they ought not to write. However, the internet is awash with carbon copy blogs that all say the same thing. If we are writing just to be part of the group, then we have the wrong motivation.
Nor are these questions designed to diminish the fledgling writer, just spreading their wings. Wisdom and maturity in the field of writing comes with continuous effort. Do not believe that because you cannot yet articulate an argument at the level of seasoned scholars you have nothing to contribute. If God has gifted you in the area of prose, please use it for His glory. However, if you have little to say than what has already been said, if you are not growing in wisdom and maturity in this arena, perhaps this is a field God has not called you to.
One last thing I would like to add is that there are a great many Christians who, once they come to understand solid biblical doctrine, desire to set out to right the wrongs of liberal theology. Out of this has grown many “discernment” writers. There are some who are truly equipped to examine the attacks against true biblical doctrine. They divide through the heresy and false teaching with precision and are a blessing to the body of Christ by causing us to rightly divide the word of truth. However, many others, not satisfied that a church is truly a church until they teach everything exactly as they believe they should, have become a blight on the discernment arena. They take the minutest details of doctrine and split hairs to the point of exhaustion. The make allegations on the merest of rumors and feast on the blood of the saints they spill on their pages. If you find yourself desiring to write on these matters, please ask yourself why. If you truly desire to equip the body of Christ, then look to identify the false while simultaneously preaching the truth. Do not seek only to tear down for the sake of tearing down. Do not look for the latest rumors and innuendos so that you may attack your favorite heretic. Rather seek to edify the body of Christ with the truth of Scripture so that they may identify the false of their own accord. Use the false teacher as the example of what scripture does not say, so that they reader may glorify God in what He does teach. Do not become the vicious rumor monger seeking to make a name for his or her self, heaping up the kind of readers who love a good fight to your site.
I ask you as the reader to consider what I have written. Look at my own example and see if there is any question to your motivations. Examine yourself in the light of God’s word and know if the desires of your heart, when it comes to blogging, are truly to glorify Him. If so, I commend you to use the gifts and talents He has given you. Use the medium of the internet to share the gospel far and wide. Equip your brethren with the truth of Scripture. But, if at any time, you see in yourself even a glimmer of self-seeking or a hint of pride, kill it. If you do not, then you will no longer be glorifying your Lord and Savior, you will simply be promoting yourself. To God be the glory.
Your humility is always appreciated.
Much thanks brother.