Sites are only as strong as their content
I would like to thank many of you for your recent comments and suggestions. These are so helpful!
We plan to add a “members” section to our blogging community that will go into more detail about each blog and the type of content they tend to feature. The current “members” section will morph into a “new” members section that will list the 15 most recent blogs.
At present, we have more than few blogs that have failed to generate their first post. Our team is at a bit of a loss to know what to do with these blogs. If you need help or encouragement to get that first post up, please drop our team a line at blogs@nazarene.org. We’d be happy to help.
Since a blogging community is only as strong as its posts, we most likely will not link to blogs that haven’t generated any content after 4 weeks of existence. It’s nothing personal, but we want our users to find content when they vist.
Finally, I want to thank those members that have worked hard to provide new blogging content regularly. We appreciate the work that goes into providing your thoughts and reflections. This is what brings real value to all our efforts. Thanks!
Blogs must wait on authentication before being finalized
A main reason for starting Nazarene Blogs is to solicit a particular point of view: Those who want to extend their faith journey into the blogosphere in ways that build, connect, and uplift Christ and the Church (particularly the Church of the Nazarene). Sure, there are many legitimate reasons for starting all types of blogs, but this online community wants to, in the words of that old Bing Crosby song, “Accentuate the positive.” In other words, we want to focus on what builds up and is redemptive, not what tears down and is negative. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for truth-telling or criticism related in the right spirit, but the overall motivation is to honor Christ.
Recently, we’ve had a person or two–either as a joke or with malicious intent–try to initiate a blog of questionable character. As a result, our tech team has decided not to allow a blog to immediately post live, but go through an authentication process. We don’t think this will add much time to the process, but we do think it will help us avoid posting a blog that’s not in keeping with our purpose for the blogging community. Thanks for your understanding. If you have any questions about this, feel free to email me at blogs@nazarene.org.
ISPs may keep you from signing up for a blog
Happy New Year!
Again, I’m sorry that some of you are having trouble getting signed-up for blogs. Our tech team has determined that some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) are blocking the confirmation emails. If you are having such trouble, please check with your email provider or the folks handling tech support and see if they are blocking emails from nazareneblogs.org. Perhaps, these are being caught in a spam filter. As far as we can determine, there is nothing that would indicate a failure on our end. Most people who sign-up for a blog account should receive notification within 24-hours (though many receive notification within only a few minutes).
If you want to set-up a blogging account, it seems that institutional or business email accounts are not the best to use because they tend to scrutinize incoming mail more heavily. We’d recommend a G-Mail account for those that are having trouble.
Having Troubling Getting Your Blog Set-up?
Hey Would-be Nazarene Bloggers:
I was very encouraged to see that we had some new bloggers sign-up for sites over the weekend. At the same time, I got a few emails from some saying they had trouble getting their blog set up (in particular that you did not receive a confirmation e-mail). It could be that some people’s ISPs are blocking the confirmation emails. In any case, make sure you follow all the steps outlined when you click on the “Sign up Now!” button.
For those who have had trouble, I convey my sincere apologies. Please be patient with us while we get some of the bugs worked out. This reminds me of a term I learned a few years ago called “Resistentialism,” which is a playful theory that inanimate objects display negative or hostile desires toward human beings. It’s the old idea that if you accidently drop a slice of bread, it’s the side with peanut butter that ends up hitting face down on the ground. If you want to express this theologically, it’s basically what I (and friends) call the “inherent depravity of inanimate objects.” All to say, we’ve got some issues either with our blogging network or with ISPs and we’re trying to figure things out, so please be patient with us. If you need to report a problem you’re having, go ahead and e-mail me at nazareneblogs@nazarene.org and I see what I can do.
NazareneBlogs.Org Provides Free Blogs to Nazarenes
I’d like to share with you a press release that will go out in NCN News later today:
“Blogs are being used by people in every profession and sub-culture to exert influence and provide thought leadership,” reported Bryon McLaughlin, administrator for NazareneBlogs.Org. “With this in mind, we’ve developed a denominationally-sponsored online blogging community to allow Nazarenes everywhere the opportunity to share their expertise, interests, and experiences with the greater church as a way to build God’s Kingdom and reach others for the sake of Christ.”
While many Nazarenes already blog, this online community is the first attempt by the general church to provide free blogs as a way to connect Nazarenes from all corners of the church in a larger missional enterprise. “One of our goals with NazareneBlogs.Org is to create community, content, and connection among Nazarenes in ways that can impact the local and global Church,” reported Rick Guilfoil, Administrative Director of Web Development for the Global Ministry Center.
A primary motivation for NazareneBlogs.Org is to provide blogs to pastors and church leaders. “We want to equip pastors, district and general church leaders with a free tool that will allow them to communicate in ways that will benefit their various constituencies and target groups,” reported Bob Broadbooks, USA/Canada Mission/Evangelism Director. “We’re hoping the blogging community serves as a communication center in which pastors, congregations, educators, and church-sponsored ministries can affordably and easily start newsletters, think tanks, ministry and academic publications, or simply share thoughts and reflections—with a small group or a global audience. The opportunities are endless.”
Bloggers can sign up for a free blog within minutes. A list of members is contained under the “Members” tab at the top of the NazareneBlogs.Org Home page. Some blogs are sponsored by the Global Ministry Center and others are sponsored by churches or individuals. A “Terms of Service” tab also has helpful information on rules for membership. Periodically, blogs will be highlighted in NCN News and in other church-sponsored communication venues. Readers are free to comment on any blog they read.
Already there are a variety of blogs listed, some which focus on technology, compassion, and church planting. A few notable blogs from the Global Ministry Center are the following:
- Destination Orlando (a general assembly blog)
- Holiness Today
- Courageous Conversations (a Nazarene Compassionate Ministries USA/Canada blog)
- Wholly Stewardship (a Stewardship Ministries blog)
- Think on These Things (a Mission Strategy USA/Canada blog) .
Blogging (a contraction of the term “Web log”) is a term for those that use the internet to create an online journal of ideas and thoughts that contain comments and often hyperlinks. Blogging started in the early 1990s. Many thought it would be a fad that would soon die out. Years later, blogging has matured into a global phenomenon that influences news, business, politics, culture, public opinion, and now religion.
Blogging—An affordable way to offer online hospitality
Few words sound stranger to the ear than blog. One friend, after first hearing the term, thought it was part of a title to a grade B science fiction film (like “the blog from outer space”). Most of us now know that blogging is part of a revolution in communication that has put the power of publishing in the hands of anyone with a computer and an internet connection. Rather than a one-way recitation, blogs also create the capacity for comment and conversation in ways that build trust and connectedness with others.
Now, church leaders are using blogs to tell their story, share expertise, and relate to others about faith issues. Blogging presents an affordable and powerful opportunity for churches to connect with others at an unprecedented level. Brian Bailey, web director at Fellowship Church, says that blogging is simply “online hospitality—opening your door, inviting people inside, and sharing stories.”
Nazarene Blogs allow any pastor church leader the ability to create a free professional-looking blog online within minutes. By signing up, you are able to choose any one of a number of themes/templates (some which are Nazarene or ministry-based).