10 REASONS YOU SHOULD STOP BLOGGING

Tony Morgan, BUZZ Conference 2007, laid out 10 reasons to stop blogging. Underneath are my thoughts after I reflected on his list.

1. You haven’t determined your primary audience. Who is it you are trying to communicate with?

Tony’s priorities, 1) Church leaders, 2) New Spring Church, family.

Jeff: My primary audience is The Rock Church. I write with TRC in mind and my secondary audience is other leaders, racers, family, and friends.

2. You don’t post regularly. Blogs that people follow are posted on daily…you can’t build a relationship without frequency.

Jeff: Since starting my blog there have been at most 5 days straight where I haven’t posted. During those times the next post wasn’t far from my thoughts.

3. Your posts are too long. Focus on 1 or 2 sentences or 1 or 2 paragraphs. Deliver the “quick hit” truth, you don’t have to have all the answers.

Jeff: Guilty at times. It’s harder to write more concisely. Some things are better with few words. I get it.

4. You’re trying to sell yourself. If you only Blog about success and leave out failures authenticity is lost. It is the real you.

Jeff: I have done a good job at being authentic and sharing the real me. There has been one occasion where I wrote a post, but did not publish it because it was too vulnerable.

5. You don’t use humor. Avoid being the history channel Blog.

Jeff: I don’t view myself as an intentionally funny person, so I will have to work on that.

6. You’re attacking other people and ministries. It adds no value to the body of Christ at all.

Jeff: I won’t do it. There are other Blogs that will name the name’s of people and churches they don’t like. Not here; not ever.

7. You’ve forgotten that Blogging isn’t private. Even your family Blog is public information. Be careful with what is shared on your family. Google is a powerful tool and people are searching your family…

As soon as you publish your post it goes out and even if you edit or retract it you no longer have control. If you write something controversial it is recommended that you let it sit for a few days before posting.

Jeff: OK, there is nothing more disappointing than posting what I think to be a good post, but then rereading it after it’s published and discovering punctuation errors and spelling mistakes. I hate that and have, on several occasions, edited my post. I know it won’t fix it for those who get it through a feeder, but it fixes it on the home page for those going direct.

8. You’re not a thought leader. You can’t just search for what is hot on the web and re state it day after day. It’s great a time or two, but eventually the content of your Blog must be original if it will be read.

Jeff: I think Blogging has to bring the thinker out in a person. Sometimes I Blog about something I’m thinking. It’s hard because it is your thoughts displayed totally raw and rugged. I’m really trying to open up my thoughts in writing through blogging.

9. You’re listening to the wrong your critics. Ask yourself, are the critics “for you” or are they just tearing you down? Only listen to the critics that are “for you.”

Jeff: Since launching the Blog I have opened myself up to new criticism. Historically I’ve not been very good at receiving criticism, but somehow this spring things started to make better sense. I guess I’ve just realized there will always be critics, Pharisees and the offended. I never like to offend anyone, but if I didn’t I wouldn’t be very Christ-like.

10. You’re not revealing the real you.

People want to see the real you; people follow uniqueness not generalities. Be who you are created to be.

“At last count there are 90 million Blog’s. Chances are you and I have not said it for the first time.” -Tony Morgan

Jeff: For me, there are no other options. I think authenticity trumps seminary. I may not always have the perfect answer, but at least I will admit it. (And yes, I am in seminary so I can speak to both.)