Innovative Ministry
Remember Blogs? (For Every Communicator Who's Felt Out Of Step)
A word of encouragement to everyone who’s felt criticized or left behind when others move on to something new, cool or cutting edge.

Recently I heard a pastor say two words that hit me like a punch to the gut.

I was watching him in a short online video teaching clip, when he referenced an article he’d read on a blog a couple years ago.

Before talking about the content of the article, he off-handedly quipped, “remember blogs?”

Remember blogs.

He said it as though he was talking about rotary phones, black-and-white TVs, or cars before seatbelts.

As far as he and his young audience were concerned, blogs were a thing of the past – something that everyone has moved on from for something newer and better.

Life Moves Fast

Remember blogs?

Of course I remember blogs. I’m still writing one. I feel like I’m still in the first few learning-curve years of writing this blog.

So here I am, thinking I’m … not exactly on the cutting edge, but certainly near the front of the mainstream of modern communication by writing a blog … meanwhile another pastor is referencing blogging as so old-fashioned that he feels the need to remind his listeners of the bygone days when he used to write one.

To the best of my knowledge (thanks to a quick Google search) the last time this pastor wrote a blog post was in 2011. Since then, he’s switched most of his online presence to the short-clip teaching videos I was watching him on.

In other words, this pastor was moving on to a new way of communicating a full two years before I was discovering his old way of communicating.

Ugh.

Just when I think I’m catching on to what’s happening today, two simple words trip me up and make me feel old, slow and stupid again.

Just when I think I’m catching on to what’s happening today, two simple words trip me up and make me feel old, slow and stupid again.

Sometimes it’s the smallest things that can catch us off-guard and make us question ourselves.

It’s Not About The Method

Before criticizing that pastor (whose name I’ve left out of this on purpose), you need to know that I felt no intentional condescension in the way he tossed out those two words. They were an aside that, if pressed, he probably doesn’t remember saying. So this blog post is not a criticism of him. And it’s not an indictment of people who keep up with the cutting edge of communication or technology.

Today, I just want to take a moment to encourage everyone who’s felt criticized or left behind when others move on to something new, cool or cutting edge, while you feel like you’re playing catch-up.

While I’m a big proponent of learning new ways of communicating old truths to today’s generation (“innovative” is the first word in the tagline for my blog, after all), most of us are not called to jump on to every new trend as soon as it pops up.

Especially in smaller, more intimate church environments, the way we communicate and the tools we use will not change as fast as some of our counterparts in larger, younger environments.

And that’s okay.

Effective Communication

The point of updating our communication style isn’t so that we can be cool and new, it’s so we can communicate in the best possible way to the people God is calling us to reach.

For me and this ministry, it’s by means of a written blog – for now at least. For that pastor, it’s through short video clips. For you, it may be face-to-face conversations, exegetical sermons or something else entirely.

Some communication methods will always be relevant.

The message of Jesus doesn’t need cool, new methods. And it shouldn’t be hampered by out-of-date formats.

The message of Jesus doesn’t need cool, new methods. And it shouldn’t be hampered by out-of-date formats.

It deserves whatever means of communication is most effective for a given situation.

Sometimes that means changing up your preaching, as I’ve done regularly. Sometimes that means keeping it steady so the style doesn’t get in the way of the message.

That pastor is doing what works in his environment. I’m doing what works in mine. You need to do what works in yours.

However you communicate, all that matters is that the message is true - and it’s getting through.

Pivot is a part of CT's Blog Forum. Support the work of CT. Subscribe and get one year free.
The views of the blogger do not necessarily reflect those of Christianity Today.

February 13, 2019 at 12:26 PM

Join in the conversation about this post on Facebook.

Recent Posts

Read More from Karl

Follow Christianity Today

Free Newsletters