Comments on: Unto … the uttermost parts of the blogosphere http://tatumweb.com/blog/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/ Pentecostal Rumination and Review Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:24:06 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Rich http://tatumweb.com/blog/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-117 Rich Fri, 30 Sep 2005 21:45:08 +0000 http://tatumweb.com/blog/index.php/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-117 No, I'm not going to the GodBlogCon, simply because I can't afford it personally, I don't want to take the time away from my family, and my job won't send me. :) Be nice, though. Rich No, I’m not going to the GodBlogCon, simply because I can’t afford it personally, I don’t want to take the time away from my family, and my job won’t send me. :) Be nice, though.

Rich

]]> By: Steve http://tatumweb.com/blog/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-116 Steve Fri, 30 Sep 2005 21:33:42 +0000 http://tatumweb.com/blog/index.php/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-116 Another thought to this — we have LOTS of pastors in the A/G that still don't have a clue how to handle a computer. I'm experiencing this right now with our Pastor. Wonderful man of God, only 45 or so. Problem is, God called him from a sales job that required no computer skills, so he has no knowledge of them yet. So it follows, since he lives life without it, he hasn't felt the full worth of a ministry through the net. We're working on him thouhg. :-) Side note — Rich and John, are either of you going to the "GodBlogCon"? steve Another thought to this — we have LOTS of pastors in the A/G that still don’t have a clue how to handle a computer. I’m experiencing this right now with our Pastor. Wonderful man of God, only 45 or so. Problem is, God called him from a sales job that required no computer skills, so he has no knowledge of them yet. So it follows, since he lives life without it, he hasn’t felt the full worth of a ministry through the net. We’re working on him thouhg. :-)

Side note — Rich and John, are either of you going to the “GodBlogCon”?

steve

]]> By: Rich http://tatumweb.com/blog/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Rich Fri, 30 Sep 2005 18:57:43 +0000 http://tatumweb.com/blog/index.php/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-113 I agree with you John, and I would go further and say that not every church and not every pastor needs to set up some kind of internet ministry. That's also true for broadcast ministry. And bus ministries. And etc., etc., etc. Not everything that can be done should be done by everyone. But to ignore as inexpensive a medium of communication, outreach, and community formation as the Internet should be done intentionally, not out of simple ignorance. After all, this is what the deaconate is supposed to be for, right? The deacons and other church staff should help shoulder the load of the infrastructure so the pastor can devote himself to ministry and prayer. In many (if not most) churches there are always a handful of tech-savvy people, just as there are a handful of doctrinally sound teachers besides the pastor. This kind of thing can be delegated to volunteers with oversight coming from an elder with occassional reviews by pastoral staff. But, then, as you imply, just thinking about this is not worth the effort for many. Rich. I agree with you John, and I would go further and say that not every church and not every pastor needs to set up some kind of internet ministry. That’s also true for broadcast ministry. And bus ministries. And etc., etc., etc. Not everything that can be done should be done by everyone.

But to ignore as inexpensive a medium of communication, outreach, and community formation as the Internet should be done intentionally, not out of simple ignorance.

After all, this is what the deaconate is supposed to be for, right? The deacons and other church staff should help shoulder the load of the infrastructure so the pastor can devote himself to ministry and prayer. In many (if not most) churches there are always a handful of tech-savvy people, just as there are a handful of doctrinally sound teachers besides the pastor. This kind of thing can be delegated to volunteers with oversight coming from an elder with occassional reviews by pastoral staff.

But, then, as you imply, just thinking about this is not worth the effort for many.

Rich.

]]> By: John B. Abela http://tatumweb.com/blog/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-112 John B. Abela Fri, 30 Sep 2005 14:08:40 +0000 http://tatumweb.com/blog/index.php/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-112 Rich, I think it comes down to the simple facts that (a) most pastors simply do not care about using the internet as a ministry-extension, and (b) most pastors do not have (or think they have) the time to invest in all that is required to setup, maintain and keep up-to-date internet ministry. While I agree with all that you say, the above is where the rubber-meets-the-road, if you ask me. Rich,

I think it comes down to the simple facts that (a) most pastors simply do not care about using the internet as a ministry-extension, and (b) most pastors do not have (or think they have) the time to invest in all that is required to setup, maintain and keep up-to-date internet ministry.

While I agree with all that you say, the above is where the rubber-meets-the-road, if you ask me.

]]> By: Steve http://tatumweb.com/blog/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-38 Steve Mon, 05 Sep 2005 16:48:59 +0000 http://tatumweb.com/blog/index.php/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-38 Rich, thanks for your kindness. Blog is now in place, just need to start writing something. Three days short of a month ago, God called my wife and I to ministry. This is not an easy thing to comprehend at my age. But we are thrilled with the opportunity and possibilities. We feel that God has called us to Alaska. Now the preparation begins and the first step is credentials through the A/G. That will be the beginning of my blog, but it will touch a lot of the same types of things that yours does and couple of others. I like the calling to the LA beach comment. I've told God a hundred times how I'd HATE to go to Hawaii to minister. I've found that reverse psychology doesn't work on Him. :-) In regards to media, Salem Radio Networks (http://www.srnonline.com/) does a pretty good job. We have 3 of their stations here. One is the general market, two are Christian markets. I like their approach. Thanks again, and keep up the good work. I really enjoy your writing. steve Rich, thanks for your kindness. Blog is now in place, just need to start writing something.

Three days short of a month ago, God called my wife and I to ministry. This is not an easy thing to comprehend at my age. But we are thrilled with the opportunity and possibilities. We feel that God has called us to Alaska. Now the preparation begins and the first step is credentials through the A/G. That will be the beginning of my blog, but it will touch a lot of the same types of things that yours does and couple of others.

I like the calling to the LA beach comment. I’ve told God a hundred times how I’d HATE to go to Hawaii to minister. I’ve found that reverse psychology doesn’t work on Him. :-)

In regards to media, Salem Radio Networks (http://www.srnonline.com/) does a pretty good job. We have 3 of their stations here. One is the general market, two are Christian markets. I like their approach.

Thanks again, and keep up the good work. I really enjoy your writing.

steve

]]> By: Rich http://tatumweb.com/blog/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Rich Mon, 05 Sep 2005 09:14:14 +0000 http://tatumweb.com/blog/index.php/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-37 Great comments, Steve, and when you make it online with your own blog, let me know! I agree, www.xxxchurch.com is a stretch for me too, but I disagree with my fellow A/G critics of the site, I think the ministry and the website are worthwhile. I just shudder to think of the kind of spiritual warfare going on around those guys, and I have to wonder whether exposure to the stuff they see won't have an impact on them. My wife, for instance, would never believe God had called me to an LA beach ministry. :) For good reason. Thanks for the tip on Hugh Hewitt. I've never heard him on the air, had only heard his name from time to time as a political pundit. Didn't realize he was a strong Christian, to boot. Thanks, again. Great comments, Steve, and when you make it online with your own blog, let me know! I agree, http://www.xxxchurch.com is a stretch for me too, but I disagree with my fellow A/G critics of the site, I think the ministry and the website are worthwhile. I just shudder to think of the kind of spiritual warfare going on around those guys, and I have to wonder whether exposure to the stuff they see won’t have an impact on them. My wife, for instance, would never believe God had called me to an LA beach ministry. :) For good reason. Thanks for the tip on Hugh Hewitt. I’ve never heard him on the air, had only heard his name from time to time as a political pundit. Didn’t realize he was a strong Christian, to boot. Thanks, again.

]]> By: Steve http://tatumweb.com/blog/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Steve Mon, 05 Sep 2005 04:40:02 +0000 http://tatumweb.com/blog/index.php/2005/09/04/unto-the-uttermost-parts-of-the-blogosphere/#comment-36 Couple of comments. First, let me preface my statement with the fact that I do think we (Christians in general, spirit filled Christians in particular) do belong in every aspect of media that can reach the lost. As a couple of examples, though it does stretch me a bit coming from a hard wood pew in the AG, http://www.xxxchurch.com and http://HughHewitt.com (probably the only time those two will be linked together). I don't really think that we missed it with media though. I just think that is more advantageous to the "the prince of this world". That doesn't mean that we abdicate it to him, but that he has more use of it as a destructive agent as we have for a constructive agent. For him to succeed, he merely needs to take our minds off of God. For our spirit to soar, watching a religious or wholesome show is not nearly enough. It takes time with Him and time in His word. Second, I like the ideas re: the newer web technologies in the face of the changing church. Our church is currently going through not just a web update, but complete bulldoze and rebuild job. Our biggest ongoing issue though, is with bandwidth. We live in the foothills east of Sacramento, CA, but we have a VERY large portion of the church still on dial-up. As I’m now an ancient 41 years old, it does take me a bit of time to get used to things. I’m STILL not sure about churches accepting credit cards their web sites, but it is growing on me. And, you’ve convinced me about the blog. It is now a must for me. steve Couple of comments. First, let me preface my statement with the fact that I do think we (Christians in general, spirit filled Christians in particular) do belong in every aspect of media that can reach the lost. As a couple of examples, though it does stretch me a bit coming from a hard wood pew in the AG, http://www.xxxchurch.com and http://HughHewitt.com (probably the only time those two will be linked together). I don’t really think that we missed it with media though. I just think that is more advantageous to the “the prince of this world”. That doesn’t mean that we abdicate it to him, but that he has more use of it as a destructive agent as we have for a constructive agent. For him to succeed, he merely needs to take our minds off of God. For our spirit to soar, watching a religious or wholesome show is not nearly enough. It takes time with Him and time in His word.

Second, I like the ideas re: the newer web technologies in the face of the changing church. Our church is currently going through not just a web update, but complete bulldoze and rebuild job. Our biggest ongoing issue though, is with bandwidth. We live in the foothills east of Sacramento, CA, but we have a VERY large portion of the church still on dial-up.

As I’m now an ancient 41 years old, it does take me a bit of time to get used to things. I’m STILL not sure about churches accepting credit cards their web sites, but it is growing on me. And, you’ve convinced me about the blog. It is now a must for me.

steve

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