Blah-Ugh!
What is a blog and why should I care?
I'm busy. You're busy. Truth be told, I don't have time to tune into "Blogger Bob" and find out what he ate for dinner last night. Blah, blah, blah...Ugh. True, many blogs are merely digital diaries, but a blog can also be a useful tool. Think of a blog as a digital bulletin board people can access from their computers. A blog for your ministry has the potential to increase communication, cast vision, and connect families and volunteers to helpful ideas.
So how do you build a ministry blog that people will want to visit?
Get Positive
Brag on a volunteer. Share what little Laura did with last week's lesson. Life change is happening in and around your ministry. A blog is your chance to share those stories. Keep your posts short. Tell yourself, "I need to say this in 5 sentences or less." Start with a simple opening page and keep your posts positive and encouraging.
Create a Connection
Links are a great way to add value to a blog. A link sends the reader to an article or resource outside your blog. The more helpful the links, the more often people will come back and visit your blog. For example, kids and chores can be an ongoing frustration for any parent. Why not link to handipoints.com? A blog can help your ministry become a connecting point for parents and parenting solutions. See how brilliant you are!
Seek Out Solutions
Keep your blog solution-focused. Boycotts, politics, and home-school vs. public school conversations all have their place, but most of those conversations can be found online without you. Think of your blog as a water source for thirsty travelers. Post stories, ideas or resources that encourage the hearts of your readers or link them to a solution they have been searching for.
Explore the Possibilities
Other blog features include calendars to post upcoming events, albums to post event pictures, custom domain names (firstbaptistkids.com), and the ability to link your blog to your church's web page. It's worth exploring the possibilities and potential of creating a blog, after all, it's free. Here are some free blog sites. Sign up and start experimenting.
Free blog sites:
wordpress.com (Easy)
blogger.com (Easier)
weebly.com (Easiest)
Share some creative ways you have used blogs in YOUR ministry.
Johnny Roger's instinctive talent for communicating with children developed early on. Realizing that elementary Christian summer camp experiences paled in comparison to their Junior and Senior high counterparts, he began a quest to develop the ultimate children's ministry experience. What started as a summer program for children, progressed to become the full-fledged multimedia-based program know today as KIDMO.
Visit Johnny's blog at johnnyrogers.weebly.com
