The Digital Pastor || Blogging as Outreach

By guy.chmieleski@gmail.comBig Ideas & 'Best Of'

Updated 4/12/12

This is the third installment in The Digital Pastor series.

This series was birthed out of wanting to think with YOU about what benefits might come from blogging as a regular part of our ministry efforts.

The question was first presented to me when I was asked to speak on this subject at the The Gathering 2011 — A conference put on by the United Methodist Campus Ministry Association — in Nashville, July 20-23.

In the first two installments I explored:

In this installment I’d like to explore how blogging can be a great way to reach out to the members of the community we serve.

Now I’d like to start by making a distinction between service and outreach.

I’ve intentionally used the word outreach here because I think a part of what we are trying to accomplish through having an online presence is to connect with people there, make them aware of what we are up to, and hopefully draw them into involvement with us — as an intentional part of the larger community.

We reach out, in part, to draw others in.

And that’s one of the reasons this site functions primarily as a blog and not a static website.

Service, alternatively, is more about providing something for someone else — with nothing desired or expected in return.

And there’s nothing wrong with this.  In fact, some may say this is the more noble of the two, precisely because it provides something without agenda — without the hope of something in return.

But I think it’s OK, when considering blogging as outreach (and to broaden the scope, our social media engagement  — as a whole — as outreach), to have some  desired outcomes, or hopeful returns, on our virtual time investments.

I think we need to be clear about what those desired outcomes might be (not to mention realistic), because I think this will help to shape and sharpen our time online.

So here are some of my desired outcomes for this blog:

  • To connect with others who work with college students
  • To ask questions about what I’m seeing on campus with the intent to explore them with anyone who might engage
  • To create a space for others to ask their questions — and seek answers
  • To create a space for college ministers to learn from one another
  • To create a space for possible collaboration on ideas and experiences that are bigger than any one person, ministry, or denomination
  • To create a growing online resource for those of us who serve college students
  • To ultimately serve my campus, and students, with more intentionality and clarity

So how am I doing? (A dangerous, but important, question that we MUST be willing to ask our target audience — again, that’s YOU).

How am I succeeding, or not, in these areas?

I realize you won’t be able to answer all of these questions — because some of them are questions only I can answer.  But even that brings clarity to the “why do I blog” question.

As I’ve mentioned, this blog does NOT have college students as the primary target audience, but instead those of us who work with college students, so my desired outcomes don’t reflect this — and if you blog, your desired outcomes should reflect your target audience as well.

And even though my target audience, and the focus of this blog, are not primarily the students I serve — there IS a direct connection — they DO ultimately benefit from my engagement in this kind of blog — and that is significant.

So, what do you think?

  • Do you see how blogging (and/or engaging in other forms of social media) can serve as a form of outreach?
  • Are there goals, desired outcomes, or hoped for returns that are not mentioned above that you would add to your own list for engaging in this kind of digital ministry?
  • What questions does this post leave you with?

Blogging may not be for everyone — but it may be for YOU!

And social media has got to be an increasing element of how we connect with, engage, and minister to students.

At least I believe so.

Please take just a moment to share your wisdom, insights or questions in the comment section below. Thanks!

 

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