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Updated 3/19/12

In a previous post, I started to explore the idea of being a “Digital Pastor” by looking at blogging as spiritual formation — you can read that post here.

Today I’m thinking about blogging as leadership development.

As I think about blogging, with special consideration for how it might foster leadership development, there are three specific levels that come to mind:

1. It creates space for me to intentionally think about an array of ministry-related items (personal level).
2. It opens up conversations with colleagues around the world who can help shape my understanding, belief and practice (global/professional level).
3. It can serve as a continually growing eResource, for anyone who walks with college students, as posts can be are regularly updated, engaged, and shared (global/collective level).

As a committed life-long learner, I can see how blogging serves in my own ongoing leadership development… while at the same time, hopefully assisting others in their own leadership development.

So let me flesh those 3 levels out a little bit more:

A space for thinking — I think the blogosphere is a great place to think — publicly.  It’s a place to record my thoughts where I can easily find and update them.  It causes me to think, with greater levels of intention and thoughtfulness — knowing that others will potentially see these posts.

I also like to talk in practical terms… so my posts often have some sort of “application” component. Therefore, I share about the things I see, from the perspective I see them, and point to how it shapes my ministry efforts.  While I don’t claim to be an expert — and I don’t know that most bloggers do — I do desire to share my experiences.

So if I’m able to inspire, encourage or challenge a fellow minister, because I have chosen to think “publicly” through posting a blog, then I believe I have been a good steward of my thoughts and thought process.

A place for conversing — One of the things I like most about a blog is that, by design, it’s dynamic.  The content is meant to change regularly. It also invites others to join in on the conversation — or series of conversations.

Where your typical websites are static in nature — rarely changing in content — and without place for dialog; most blogs are designed with a comment section at the bottom of each post.  This invites the reader to reply.  To share their thoughts.  To push back on the author.  To ask questions.  To affirm insights… You get the picture.

I can’t begin to tell you the profound ways that commenters on this blog have shaped my thinking and ministry. Campus and college ministers from around the world, from diverse backgrounds and ministry perspectives, have become conversation partners — and try colleagues — as they have chosen to engage in generative online dialog. Of course, this does necessitate that the reader not just read a blog post, but that they also take the time to thoughtfully respond — and in so doing further the conversation — and education.

A resource for ministry — Finally, by blogging about what I’m thinking about, and engaging with friends and colleagues (or students — or whomever your blog audience might be) in an online, ongoing dialog; it creates a growing, online resource for anyone to access.

Again, for me, it comes back to stewardship.  Capturing thoughts and conversations about ministry with college students, in a place where they can later be accessed — and conversations re-engaged — just makes sense to me.

As my thoughts regarding college students, faith and culture further develop, and therefore change my approach to ministry, I’m able to track those changes here.  And while you might not find yourself in the same place I do — right now — you might at some point later on.  And visa versa.

So there you go.

Blogging as leadership development.

These are some of my thoughts about it…

What do you think?

• Is there something you would add to this list?
• Are there other ways you could see blogging helping — or hindering — someone’s leadership development process?
• What questions does this post raise for you?

As always, I hope you’ll take a moment to share your thoughts, questions or insights in the comment section below.