The Digital Pastor || Blogging as Spiritual Formation

Updated 3/9/12

One of the things I learned about myself while I was working on my doctoral dissertation was that I actually enjoyed writing.  Prior to working on that project, I can’t say that I remember having this affinity… but it definitely presented itself in this most unlikely of places.

As people would ask me about my progress… I can remember often describing it as a “labor of love.”

Now, for those of you who might currently find yourselves in “dissertation purgatory” — know that I’m not saying that it was easy. But as I was in the midst of reading and thinking and writing about something I was passionate about… and to my surprise I found that God was there… waiting for me.

In the midst of my academic work, God was their, forming and transforming me.

God wasn’t just preparing me for my future work with college students… God was also at work: shaping my heart, my character, and my mind.

And although I was ecstatic to finally finish my project… and graduate…

It wasn’t long before I found myself missing… something.

There was a noticeable void of sorts.

And it wasn’t until I started blogging a few years ago (I had started a personal blog before a friend encouraged me to start blogging about ministry with college students) that I really realized that the “something” that was missing was experiencing God through the process of writing.

Over the past couple of years I have come to realize that, for me, blogging is a kind of spiritual discipline.

It’s a time and space where I can sit with God, and work through some of the things that I’m thinking about, seeing, experiencing or struggling with.

And the decision to work through these things “publicly”, to me, has become an issue of stewardship.

Why wouldn’t God want to include others in this process of better understanding:

• How we’ve been wired
• What we’ve been called to
• What we’re experiencing on the college campus
• How we can best deal with specific issues we face
• How we can best spur college students on in their faith formation
• As well as how God is using our ministry with college students to shape and form us as ministry leaders

Yes, I think there’s something very formative about the work that we’ve been called to… not just in how God chooses to use us in the lives of students, but equally in how God chooses to use our ministry with students to shape, stretch and grow us.

The choice to blog about it just makes sense for me.

And in an increasingly digital world, finding ways to bring the Good News of Jesus into the mediums of the 21st Century is an absolute must.

Blogging may not be for everyone… but it may be for you!

If you’re a blogger, I’d love to hear how this has looked in your life. How have you experienced God in the midst of blogging?

If you’re not a blogger, is there a reason why?  Is it possible God might want to use you in this medium?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.  Please take a moment to share in the comment section below.