Comments on: Christian Blogging: Ministering Without Preaching

By: Anita Mathias

Anita Mathias — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:57:12 +0000

Thanks, Debra. Perhaps its the raw honesty that convinces people that they can trust us, that we are telling the truth, when we talk about the highs, and almost “preach.”
And perhaps Christ who knows the truth about us likes it too!!

By: Debra Seiling

Debra Seiling — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 15:39:37 +0000

Dear Anita,

Your post makes me really think. As a Christian blogger as well, I think that it's the vulnerable honesty that you mention, that attracts the reader to the blog. It is my desire, that this will help readers be able to better relate to the God and the Bible in their lives on a regular basis. Debbie Seiling http://bible-passages.blogspot.com

By: Anita

Anita — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 23:08:39 +0000

Hi Rhoda, Yes, I fully realize how hard it is for a pastor's wife to be honest. A friend, whose book you've read Susan B. who is also a pastor's wife once told me how hard it was. She once confided in a friend that she was not happy, and the "friend" told the elders of the church that she was in the wrong place, or else she would be happy.
As a pastor or pastor's wife you never know when people will turn against you. It's a negative of being in a place where people expect too much of you (friendship, perfection) are hurt when they don't get it, and also use you to further their own agendas. It's rough, but, of course, it has its advantages:)

By: Rhoda

Rhoda — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:05:49 +0000

Thanks Anita for the advice and encouragement 🙂 I do worry about being personal, partly because I don't want to make it too much about me, partly because I've never been too fond of the online journal kind of blog, and partly because of being a pastor's wife and needing to be careful what I say! But I also see what you are saying and recognise the truth of it – as I don't particularly like the plain bible study kind of blog as if I wanted that I would go listen to a sermon or read a commentary! Anyway I have taken what you said into account and will try and be a little more personal, and really appreciate the advice 🙂

By: Anita

Anita — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:58:46 +0000

@Nancy. Thanks. It must have been because of my cultural and Catholic background that I assumed that priests have automatic respect.

By: Anita

Anita — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:52:12 +0000

@ Rhoda, You have some excellent posts on Dwelling in the Shadow of God, Idolatry, Gluttony and renewing strength for instance. We all have to blog the way we can, and not the way we can't. That said, being a little more personal, sharing HOW you came to the brilliant and accurate insights you share would add to the interest of the blog for us, and be therapeutic for you, perhaps. I have a feeling that we cruise the internet looking for a story as much as for inspiration. So much of Scripture is told in terms of a story, because that is how we remember things. We remember the lessons on forgiveness in Joseph's story, because of the gripping story. And now I am talking to myself, not to you. For instance, I was about to publish my post on curses when I stopped and asked, “So why am I interested in this?” And then I realised I had left a whole story untold.
Your blog's lovely, though sharing more of the real Rhoda would add even more to its interest. Though it's a lovely mature, polished blog as it is:)

By: Nancy Wallace

Nancy Wallace — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:10:00 +0000

Good post. As someone who both preaches and blogs, I don't agree that preachers have automatic respect – I think much of what you say about Christian blogging could also apply to preaching e.g. trust has to be earned and one way this happens is by being authentic including where appropriate sharing weakness or struggle, presenting questions without answers rather than neat conclusions.

By: Rhoda

Rhoda — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:19:07 +0000

Fascinating and scary stuff! As I read your post at first my heart dropped and I thought, 'Oh no, I'm one of those people that no-one wants to read!'. But then you mentioned medicating yourself with chocolate, and I thought, 'Hmm well I think I have mentioned that so maybe I'm OK' 🙂 Number 3 is a bit worrying!! But then I guess we need to work on humility too, though if no-one ever tells us our errors we might never know… Love your last line, I agree that God probably is quite amused by some of what we write 🙂