Leave It Behind > Brian Bailey

The Blogging Church goes digital

How cool is this? The Blogging Church is now available for Amazon's Kindle! If you have one of those slick wireless reading machines, you can purchase The Blogging Church for $9.99 and be reading it in about a minute.

It's a fun treat to have a book focused on the digital world available digitally. Almost cool enough for me to justify the $359 cost of the Kindle :)

If you're just tuning in, The Blogging Church is a book I wrote (with Terry Storch) that was published early last year. It made a passionate case for using blogs to share the story of your church or organization with both the committed and the curious and featured a lot of terrific advice from talented bloggers in and out of the church world. One of my favorite authors, Seth Godin wrote some kind words about The Blogging Church on its release: "Brian Bailey makes two things crystal clear in this book: if you've got a church, then you need to spread your story. And if you need to spread your story, blogs are now an essential tool. Time to pay attention!"

If you have a Kindle and happen to buy the book, email me a nice pic of The Blogging Church on the Kindle and I'll be happy to send you an autographed copy of the dead tree version.

No. 28

I noticed this morning that the 28th review of The Blogging Church had been posted on Amazon. That was a nice surprise. More significant, though, was what the reviewer, Lisa Colton, had to say:

I work with synagogues, and found the approach of blogging for "ministry" can be useful and much more broadly defined than for churches alone. Very easy to read, full of practical examples.

I love hearing about the creative ways the book is being used. Though the focus is certainly on evangelical churches, I'm glad to know that others have found it helpful as well. Thanks again to Lisa and everyone else who has taken the time to post a review or send feedback!

How goes the book?

Often when I run into a friend or exchange emails, they will kindly ask about the book. Usually along the lines of "How's the book doing?" or "I haven't heard much about the book lately." I always appreciate the question. It feels a bit like they're asking for an update on my child, as in "How's Ben doing in school this year?", which is fine with me. In many ways, The Blogging Church does feel like a baby of mine (if I were to regularly sell my child for money to complete strangers, which I do not condone). Here's the latest.

I think most authors will tell you that the first three months after a book is published are the most crucial and entertaining. I'm referring here to a normal book, not one destined for the best seller list and backed by a major marketing campaign. The Blogging Church was published at the end of January and had a great launch (thanks to many of you). It briefly landed in the Top 200 on Amazon's best seller list and had a huge number of great reviews and feedback across the web. Those first few months involved a lot of work doing interviews, following up with readers, and promoting the book in various ways.

The book has continued to sell well since then, but after the initial push, the publisher's involvement basically ends and it's up to you and your readers to spread the word. Many of you have done just that - thank you for helping ignite a blogging revolution in churches across the country!

To continue to sell high numbers, you really have to be willing to promote yourself and the book nearly full-time (though you are always limited by the natural size of your audience). This includes pursuing speaking and writing opportunities at every turn and regularly promoting yourself and your consulting services. These are good ways to build your brand, open the door to additional books, and get yourself closer to being a full-time writer/consultant. That's not my focus right now, though I plan on writing another book in the future. My focus is on my career and my family - your time, attention, and passion can only be divided so many ways.

Nearly every day I receive an email from someone who recently read the book and started a new blog or has some questions. It's been incredible to see the impact of the book in so many different churches, denominations, and areas of the country. Many of you are really pushing the envelope of what a church blog can be.

If you've purchased the book in the last few months, let me say thanks! If it helped and entertained you, stop by Amazon and post a quick review. And please continue to share your story, and the story of your church, through blogs, podcasts, Facebook, Twitter, and the next big thing.

Interview with Read/WriteWeb

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of sitting down for a podcast interview with Sean Ammirati from Read/WriteWeb. If you're not familiar with Read/WriteWeb, they are an incredibly talented group of writers covering web technology through both breaking news and in-depth articles. It is one of my favorite sites and a definitive source for what is happening on the web with over 108K readers.

The site recently spent a week focusing on how non-profits can most effectively use the web and technology. My conversation with Sean for Read/WriteTalk fit into that theme, as we covered the use of blogs by churches, pastors and other non-profits. Sean is a very interesting guy - I hope to talk with him more in the future.

Listen to the Podcast | Read the Transcript | Read the Post

Relevant Leader essay published

My blogging essay for Relevant Leader has been published at last. You'll find it in the Summer 2007 issue under the title, How Blogging Can Become a Ministry.

The whole process was very interesting as it was my first experience writing for a magazine. The long lead time everyone talks about is definitely odd compared to blogging. I submitted the final version nearly 5 months ago - not quite the instant gratification you find online. Thankfully, I still agree with what I wrote!

Also, this was the first time my words were completely in the hands of someone else. When I wrote The Blogging Church, every single word was my own and the only changes were from an excellent copy editor. In fact, I even had some flexibility on whether or not to incorporate those. I had control over the organization, chapter titles, index, and everything in between. With Relevant, and I'm assuming most publications, I simply turned over the piece and the rest was in their hands. They chose the title and substantially edited the article, though they did not alter the tone or meaning.

For those of you who are curious about the financial side, Relevant Leader does not pay contributors. The general idea is that publication serves as exposure for the writer, particularly new authors whose books are also advertised in the same issue or actually included in their quarterly shipment (my book was neither). It's also considered a step toward writing for the more widely read Relevant Magazine, where writers are compensated. I've always been a fan of Relevant and greatly respect their unique audience, so it is an honor to be included.

If you'd like to read the original essay in its entirety, it's available online in four parts.

Is your church ready to blog?

Andrea Useem, a freelance journalist who blogs at religionwriter.com, has written an interesting piece on blogging in the church called, Is Your Church Ready to Blog? The article discusses how blogging can "break down church hierarchies and draw a wider audience into an authentic conversation." It features The Blogging Church as well as an interview with the always thought-provoking Ben Arment. Check out the full article.

Also, if you are short on quality reading material and don't regularly read Ben's blog, do yourself a favor and subscribe. He's the pastor of a cool church in Reston, Virginia and his blog is packed with ideas and insights on a wide variety of topics. We share so much in common (other than, well, the part about being a pastor) that is frightening. Lori always tells me the way Ben thinks reminds her of me, though that doesn't stop her from disagreeing with either one of us. Either way, it's clear both Ben and I married far beyond what we deserve, which is just one more thing we have in common!

The latest reviews

So many people have posted reviews of The Blogging Church on their blogs or on Amazon these past few months that I can't acknowledge them all without turning this into a very boring blog. My sincere thanks to everyone who has purchased the book and taken the time to share their thoughts - the feedback is very helpful and always interesting!

I do want to single out one very thorough and generous review. This was by Nathan Smith on Godbit, an excellent resource site for web designers who care about web standards.

For those of you who have been blogging for awhile, as you’re reading through this book, you will find many insights which you will agree with already. I think this book would be an ideal gift to a pastor. It masterfully describes the benefits of letting people hear an authentic voice. Much like blogging, the book’s brevity lends to its impact.

Read the full review.

If you ever want to track what people are saying about the book, or about your blog or organization, Google's blog search is a great place to start. Here's the search for blogging church.

If you don't have your copy yet, check out The Blogging Church on Amazon, where you can search inside the book, read an except, and browse over 20 reviews.

Afterword: Smile

Is there anything more exciting than the adventure of the Christian life? Our lives should reflect that, and so should our blogs.

A blog is a quick and easy outlet for frustrations and criticisms. Some of the most popular posts are those describing the ineptness of phone-based customer service, the flaws in a new product, or a poor experience with a customer or employee in a coffee shop, restaurant or store. There's something addictive and empowering in the last word, especially when our well-phrased slam is just a Google search away.

We who serve in the church are rightfully held to a higher standard. Our casual venting reflects on where we serve and the God we serve. We should never allow a thoughtless, snide remark to stand in the way of someone giving God a chance. We’re in the ministry, for Heaven’s sake — why are we writing about the rude person in the checkout line instead of inviting him to church?

I'm not talking about giving the impression that the Christian life is one of ease and comfort or presenting a false happiness. Honest stories about struggles and mistakes are a huge part of what connects people in the blogosphere. A relationship is formed between the writer and reader precisely because the words ring true. Blogs do feel like conversations, but a conversation that is relentlessly positive and void of doubt or difficulty keeps people at a distance. There is a huge difference between joy and happiness. Ed Young, pastor of Fellowship Church where I’m privileged to serve, just wrote a book about that very topic called Outrageous, Contagious Joy.

Each of us has so much to be thankful for. We have been saved by His grace. We have the privilege of serving in ministry. And we have the opportunity to tell others about Christ. No matter what we're facing, we must never lose that perspective.

Often it's as simple as sharing what God is doing in your life. I wrote a post last year while I was staying at a hotel to finish The Blogging Church. The post was about a seemingly trivial experience - soon after checking in, I came across the last remaining free copy of the Wall Street Journal at the front desk. For me, though, that small moment was an amazing reminder of God's love and sense of humor. The title of the post was borrowed from Coldplay — God Put a Smile Upon My Face.

If you want to read about this kind of joy, check out the blog of Steven Furtick, Lead Pastor of Elevation Church in North Carolina. This is a man who is on fire for Christ, passionate about reaching people, and in love with his family and his life. He doesn't hide his mistakes and frustrations or shy from defending the vision God has given him, but his pure, infectious joy stands out above all else. No one could read his blog for a week and not want to see what his church is all about. There's no doubt that Steven's eyes are wide open as he looks up and smiles.

U2's latest single, Window in the Skies, says this perfectly:

The rule has been disproved
The stone it has been moved
The grave is now a groove
All debts are removed
Oh can’t you see what love has done?
Oh can’t you see what love has done?
Oh can’t you see what love has done?
What it’s done to me?

Show what love has done for you. Write about it. Tell stories about it. Post pictures about it. Share the love.

And smile.

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Afterword: Look Up

I know this sounds incredibly naive, but until blogging within the church went mainstream, I had no idea how much Christians love to attack, criticize, and belittle other churches and people in ministry. 

We love to look down, don't we? A virtual industry has been created filled with people determined to tear down other churches. It still strikes me as a bit unbelievable that these attacks are by other believers and not those opposed to the Christian faith. For some reason, people who have never stepped foot in the church they’ve chosen to target feel completely comfortable attacking its theology, style, outreach methods, and even the salvation of people who came to know Christ through the ministry. They offer armchair criticism and mocking commentary of a house of worship in the same callous and disdainful tone that might be used to evaluate a television show or weekend football game. 

Some of this pride and judgment can be found in the blogs of seminary students and the next generation of church leaders. There is often a sense that a few have stumbled upon the one way to do church and any other approach can be dismissed and ridiculed. 

God works in many different ways and through many different people to reach the lost. Celebrate what God has revealed to you. Share what you've learned with anyone who will listen. Seek out new ideas and perspectives. But don't be hatin' other churches and your brothers and sisters in Christ. There's no other word for it, and it's wrong.

Last year, a fellow blogger introduced me to an incredible musician, Mike Doughty. Though he wouldn't be classified as a Christian artist, his album, Haughty Melodic, is filled with introspective, thoughtful, and sometimes reverent lyrics. I listened to the song His Truth is Marching On constantly as I wrote The Blogging Church and it has since become a reminder of my place within His grand design. I like to think of it as A Blogger's Prayer:

Let me know your enormity and my tininess and
Help me see your infinity and my finiteness

When we look down, we take our eyes off of the God of the Universe and assume a position of arrogance. When we look up, His perspective will inform and impact our every thought and action and become our perspective.

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Afterword: Open Our Eyes

When we start blogging, our eyes are wide open and we eagerly seek out information anywhere we can find it. We're naturally curious in the same way as when we move into a new neighborhood, apartment complex, or dorm. We want to meet the guy next door or the friendly couple down the street. 

Sadly, this tends to be a temporary inclination. After a few months of learning and growing and seeking out new friends, we begin to turn inward. We become obsessed with our own voice and those who think like we do. Instead of looking for opportunities to connect with a lost world, we turn our backs and close our eyes.

We have to resist the temptation to make it all about us. Often it appears that our passions are simply new music, edgy movies and great reads. Why are our priorities nothing more than cool cell phones, reality television, and 24?  Sometimes we use our blogs to promote everything but God and his church.

Should a blog be personal? Of course! The honesty and openness of a blog is one of its defining characteristics. Have fun with your blog. Use it as an outlet to try out ideas, post pictures of a night out with friends or your daughter's birthday party, and tell stories. There doesn’t have to be a hidden agenda behind every thought or phrase. Your blog should reflect who you are, your priorities and your passions. 

What those are, though, may surprise you. An honest blog, like a well-placed mirror, can sometimes reveal things about ourselves that we'd rather not see. The time and energy that is poured into a blog can reflect misplaced priorities. The feedback and notoriety, the blogging spotlight, is hard to resist and you may find yourself pursuing traffic instead of people. The blog should never become an end in itself instead of a means to an end.

This message is meant for me as much as anyone. Every blogger struggles with the desire for notoriety and the slippery slope to self-importance. We like to present ourselves as something we really aren’t – a leadership guru or expert on all-things-church. If I'm not currently guilty of what I describe here, I have been in the past. 

A healthy blog, like a healthy church or ministry, reaches both the curious and the already convinced. It's a place where questions are asked, different viewpoints expressed and people are treated with respect. If a new program or ministry does not reach people or help people, it's not worth doing. The same is true for a blog. 

Don't let your eyes become closed to the people who desperately need to hear the Good News. Use your blog to reach out to others as you share your life, your struggles and triumphs, and everything that makes you who you are. Open your eyes and your heart to the people who God has placed within your sphere of influence so that His love can be revealed.

There is no blogging revolution without others. We are here for a reason, and that reason is to point people to the living savior. Our life should reflect that, and so should our blog.

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