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February 03, 2004 at 07:28 am

Communal Blogging?

Recently, Darren Rowse posted a question on his Blog about the future applications of blogging:

I’m wondering what other applications people have seen it used for – or think it will end up being used for?

My response was:

This week, I am facilitating the small group I’m in and this exact idea popped into my head. Would blogging be a suitable subject to share in a small group atmosphere? I could explain it, teach it, etc. In turn, we could create a small group community Blog in which everyone would be an author, sharing their thoughts throughout the week in an online, but intimate fashion… This Blog wouldn’t even have to be public; just something that a core group of people could take part in while they’re not physically together.
In any case, two others (that I know of for sure) in my small group already blog… And my small group isn’t so small — 20 to 30 people. But to be able to communicate communally, even though we aren’t living communally… I think it would be so cool.

And today, I read this in Dave Crampton‘s article “God Bloggers, Seekers and the Emerging Church“ in the latest issue of Next-Wave:

But what will replace the emerging church should the desire for interactive community fade – post emergence? God forbid that the basis of any Christian community will be a collective of postmodern, post seeker sensitive, post church, post graduate pastors and lay people blogging as part of a community based on Internet e-lationships. With the first commandment being “blog one another, as God would blog you” and our prayer being “give us this day our daily blog”. Some may be missing the point of the Kingdom of God, and may as well go back to being pre-postmodern. Thankfully this is not happening at present with blogs being viewed as welcome virtual communities and friendships in addition to the priority of doing mission among a relational community. Read the rest…

I agree with Crampton here: Blogs cannot replace community. But, I do feel that they can enhance it. While living communally may be too big a step for most folks in Western society, maybe blogging would be a welcome baby-step. We are finding out that relationships cannot end with a wave goodbye. To live relationally means that we must offer more than small talk and an occassional dinner. It’s interesting to think that technology has given us new ways to stay connected (whether through e-mail, blogging, or video conferencing). The question is, should we, as believers, seekers, sojourners, whatever, utilize this technology or shun it? Is technology an evil that is tempting us to stray away from “real” community or do we use with the leading of, as Crampton says, “a post-charismatic Holy Spirit”?

I’d love to know what you all think.

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