Monday, September 16, 2013

How to {Really} Help New Bloggers + and why you should want to...

In this series, I'll be offering a newbie perspective on what experienced bloggers can really do to help and encourage new bloggers. Although most of these posts will be useful for any niche, I'm talking specifically to faith bloggers.
newbies, blogger, why should i help, faith, Jesus, scripture, Christian

Chances are, if you're even semi-successful at blogging, you've had help along the way. Someone pointed you in the right direction. Maybe you were lucky enough to have a mentor, a "big sister" blogger friend, or were invited into a group that helped and encouraged each other. And that's awesome!

That should be reason enough to pay-it-forward, as it were, to new bloggers who are coming along.

But just in case it's not, let's think about this.
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”  Luke 14:12-14 NIV
Jesus is at a Pharisee's home, eating at a banquet. There are probably several officials and politicians, church leaders, and other bigwigs at this party. The Bible says that Jesus was being "closely watched." It was another one of those, "Let's-trap-Jesus-by-asking-an-ambiguous-question" scenarios.

But he was closely watching the attendees of this dinner party as well.

He had some very good advice for them: (1) don't think more highly of yourself than you ought to... you'll only be embarrassed at the end, and (2) don't just hang with your clique, or the people who can repay or benefit you.

This is good advice for bloggers, too.

As successful bloggers, are you tempted to think more highly of yourself than you ought to? Are you just interacting with other successful bloggers, or those with even more readers, or Twitter followers, than you?

Or are you earnestly trying to help, and disciple, new bloggers?

New bloggers need training and encouragement just like new believers.

Of course Jesus followed his own advice:
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. -- Luke 22:14-20 NIV

He knew at this point, there was nothing the disciples could do for him. Eating the Last Supper with them wasn't about what Jesus would get out of it; it was about what he was doing for them.

The focus of blogging, especially in the faith arena, is to impact others. And while our missions are all different, we should ultimately be pointing to the Father.

Are you pointing your fellow bloggers to the Father, particularly the new ones? Are you encouraging them and teaching them how to point to the Father as well?

Come back Wednesday for Part Two of this series!

2 comments :

  1. Your last 2 posts on helping new bloggers have been right on the mark. Although blogging can feel like a solitary focus since typically we're alone in our own home, it really is entirely based on community. Especially, as you make the parallel, if we are Christian bloggers.

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    1. I feel the same about blogging as community Jenny. It's a great platform for ministry and discipleship!

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