Church Crunch posted an update about the Wordpress 3.0 push.  The features are more efficient and easy to use, plus, now you can add plug-ins with your eyes closed.

If you’re just starting out, Wordpress is a great free blogging service.  In this video, Michael Hyatt shares how blogging has impacted not only himself, but his way of discerning philosophy.

He puts it well when he describes how leaders obtain an influence and that social media and blogging help to “leverage your influence.”

I also love that he expresses that it is not too late for pastors to get involved…

Hyatt points out that, “Today [getting started with social media] is easier than ever! The research is already there to help you convince your board or boss that it is a worthwhile venture.  It’s not too late – you just need to get started.”

“Blogging is a way for me to think through things and how we should respond to the environment. Blogging is a terrific tool, but it’s not for everyone.”

Michael says that he believes 10 years down the road, social media will still be around as a “deep, cultural sense of relationship because people inherently want to be connected.”

If you’re looking for the right time to get started with blogging, you have found it. Not tomorrow. Not next week. You have the opportunity to encourage, empower, challenge, educate and connect right now.

Photo By: Mykl Roventine

• Read the Word
• Read the News
• Check out Twitter Trends
• Think of what I have wanted to say for a long time – but never had the courage to say before
• Think about the last sermon I heard
• Think about the last conference I attended

What do you do when you have blogger’s block ?

pic by cobblucas

A blog can be one of the most compelling reasons a person will continue to visit your website on a repeated and consistent basis.  Entrepreneur magazine listed blogging as one of the top marketing tools available today to assist a website in being noticed by the masses. Because of their informal nature and conversational writing style, blogs are often preferred by readers over traditional website content.  Here are a few things to keep in mind when you decide you want to add a blog to your site.

• Consistency- There is nothing less compelling than a single blog post that was made 6 months ago saying you’re starting your blog. Make your blog a priority and blog consistently. It doesn’t have to be page long posts every day. A simple paragraph about what the Lord is speaking to you or what is going on in your life is more than enough to hold people’s interest as long as you are consistent in your blogging schedule.
• Content- Utilizing media that you already have can help build the content for your blog. Monday mornings are a great day to repost the video/audio from this Sunday’s service or upload images from your most recent event at the church.
• Community- Build your blog into a community. Church members will become involved with what the pastor pushes from the pulpit. Talk about your blog often and encourage members to read and post comments. This will help build more content as your community grows.

Overall, make sure your blog is personable and updated often. For more tips on how you can leverage blogging and other social mediums for your church growth, feel free to ask us a question below or explore the rest of the site.