Pastoral Care Through the Internet

You could use the Internet in other ways to help members of your flock grow deeper in their relationship with God. A regular devotional e-blast is one obvious option. Another would involve sending or posting devotional links rather than original devotional thoughts.

Go with Your Strengths

I realize that what I've described about my own online pastoral ministry might feel overwhelming to you. In particular, if you're not an especially quick writer, you can't imagine imitating my efforts. So let me say it clearly: Don't! Don't try to do all that I have done. Rather, let me serve as one example of an effort to use the new media to strengthen pastoral ministry. What I've done fits my particular mix of talents and gifts and makes sense in my particular community. You should do what fits you and your pastoral context.

As you consider how you might make use of new media options, be sure to pay attention to your personal strengths. Do you write fairly quickly and easily? Then a daily blog might work for you. Or you might choose to blog on a weekly rather than a daily basis. A successful blog needs to have regular input, but regular could mean once a week or twice a week.

If you're not especially good with the written word but are better in person, you may wish to investigate the world of online video posting (see YouTube and similar sites). You may have talent in making videos in which you're behind the camera rather than in front of it, or you may be inept in this technology but an expert at motivating others to do it. However you move forward with new media, go with your strengths.

Adapted from The New Media Frontier. Copyright © 2008 by John Mark Reynolds and Roger Overton, editors. Published by Crossway Books, Wheaton, Illinois. Used by permission.