For those of us who blog and/or conduct business via the internet, online interaction is something we often do on autopilot. But as Christians, I think it’s wise to remember that what we do is for Someone greater than ourselves. Since our God is an awesome God, let’s remember to put the AWE in our online interaction.

A – Ambassadors

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ~2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)

An ambassador is a direct representative of a higher authority in a foreign, and sometimes even hostile, territory. Our higher authority is Christ, and His appeal is through us. What is His appeal? For all to be reconciled to God.

The idea of reconciliation carries with it the responsibility of drawing two together from a distance. Everything we do should be for the purpose of inviting those distanced from God to come into His family or come back into His fold.

W – Witnesses

“But you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ~Acts 1:8 (NIV)

A witness is one who testifies about a personal experience. The scripture above doesn’t say we might be witnesses or that we can be a witness if we want. It says we will be witnesses.

Every minute of every day we are witnesses. The choice of whether to be a good or bad witness is ours. The challenge comes when things don’t go our way, when in spite of our good intentions, others treat us unfairly. Will we choose to be a good witness even in trying circumstances?

E – Employees

“As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” ~John 9:4 (NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ~Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

It’s so easy to get caught up in living our everyday lives to the point that we fail to consider eternity. This life is a breath, a vapor, a quickly-fading flower, not just for us, but for everyone—including those who don’t know Jesus.

Our interactions with others are God appointments—opportunities to make an eternal difference in their lives. Let’s not forget Who we’re working for or the task we’ve been given. It truly is a matter of eternal life or death.

My prayer for all of us as we go about our businesses and write our blog posts is that we’ll remember to put the AWE in our online interaction. In fact, I pray we’ll remember to do it all the time.

Cathy Bryant’s debut novel, TEXAS ROADS, was a 2009 finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Genesis contest. Cathy makes her home in a century-old farmhouse in East Texas with her music minister husband of nearly thirty years and a phobia-ridden cat. You can learn more about her at www.CatBryant.com.

Participating in a group writing project is a great way to meet bloggers, get involved in the Christian blogging community, get links back to your site, and you will receive a free copy of the special report to give away on your blog.

Check out the group writing project post over at Faithful Bloggers for more information.

In Matthew 28:19-20 we are giving the Great Commission, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Can a church help full-fill the Great Commission with a blog?  Blog are unique because they can reach anyone anywhere.  There is no geographic limit to who you readers could be.  You literally could reach people all around the world with your blog.  And of course you can also teach people with a blog.  You post devotions, scripture, articles, etc.  You can instruct your readers how to correctly interpret the Bible and explain the commandments God has given us.

However there are some things you just cannot do on a blog, or online for that matter.  You cannot baptize them.  You cannot hold their hands, kneel down, and pray with them.

In my personal opinion, I think a blog can be a great ministry tool for a church, but cannot be their only ministry tool.

What do you think?  Should churches blog?

Many times after a move I found myself in a community with little or no support system. There I would be, alone, thousands of miles away from family and not knowing a single sole.  So, I would get out there. I would become acclimated to my surroundings, get a job, join some groups and get involved….and that is what I did with my website.

Integrating my faith into my website really was never, not part of my plan.  It is who I am and what I write about. No matter what your website may be about….there are others in the cyber world with similar interests and experience that can help guide you. Reaching out to other bloggers like myself and taking a look at how they set up their blogs, was a huge part of my process. Finding similar interests groups can be as easy as goggling your subject matter or joining a social media group.  I recommend you do both.

I already had a Facebook account so I decided to try Twitter.  I created an account and started stumbling around.  Twitter, as with almost all social media can be an amazing networking experience.  I simply started searching under Christian Authors, Christian Writers, Christian bloggers etc. The numbers are amazing and the amount of useful information being shared is staggering. An additional benefit is the amount of people you can reach with links to your blog. Without even thinking about it I had started to market myself and my writing.  Eventually, I started posting links to my blog on my Facebook account and have only increased the numbers of people that I am exposing my writing to.

Here are some other great ways to integrate your faith or blog interest on your website. An Amazon Book Store on your site that sells books that would appeal to your readers or that you have referenced in past blogs.  Having a My Playlist MP3 devise on your site that plays your favorite music,(mine plays my favorite Christian Music), A Blog roll widget that has links to favorite blogs related to your specific blog genre and/or a recommended resources widget with links to sites that provide help and information regarding your subject matter.

Staying true to why you created your blog in the first place is crucial in being successful at marketing yourself and integrating your values and beliefs.  I can’t image having my blog set up any other way and look forward to how God will use me through my writing or any other way he has planned!  It is the thrill and fear of the Unknown again!! I pray you are energized as you launch into your unknown!

Tami makes her home outside of Chicago with her husband, Michael, and their three young children.  She was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Journalism.  She received her Master’s in Public Administration from Valdosta State University.

Tami is working on her first book and enjoys blogging on her website, www.mudpiesformom.com, about how God is working in her life and the lives of those around her.  She is committed to becoming the woman God created her to be and providing inspiration to other woman on their own journeys.

I have come up with 10 different Christian niches that could be used to create a blog without writing devotionals.  They are listed below.

1. Christian Homeschooling
2. Christian Finance
3. Christian Blogging
4. Christian Affiliate Marketing
5. Christian Crafts
6. Christian Holidays
7. Christian Parenting
8. Christian Marriage
9. Christian Product Reviews
10. Christian Modesty

The above 10 topics are topics that could be devoted to entire blog!  While these topics could certainly include devotions, they do not have to.   There are a wide range of writing styles that could be used.  For example, if you choose to create a blog about Christian Modesty, you could recommend stores to shop at, review clothing, and even include an affiliate link to make some money as well.  You could also suggest modest outfits for different type of events.

The point is that even without writing devotions everyday, you can still have a Christian based blog.  This blog of mine is another example.  I write about Biblical principals but do not always write devotionals or Bible studies.  The most important aspect of Christian blogs is that the author first the Lord first in the blog!  Everything else will happen according to His will.

P.S.  I have written a special report about starting a Christian Review Blog.  If this is a topic you have been interested in you can check it out at ChristianReviewBlog.com to find out more information.

I know the site is new, but I can see great things happening over at Christian Media Zone.  So head over, sign up for an account, and submit you articles!

2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

2 Timonthy 2:15 explains that a person who who is studying and “rightly dividing the word of truth” should not be ashamed with his/her work.  The only person person we need approval from is God.  “Rightly dividing the word of truth” simply means sharing the Word the of God truthfully.  To do this we must study the Bible.  Our readers want the truth and it is our job to give it to them.

When we are ministering to non-Christians on our blogs it is important that we give them the truth.  Your blog may be the only chance that reader has to hear about the Lord and His love.  If you are writing about spiritual related topics without knowing what The Word of God says about that topic, you could be steering your readers down the wrong path.

The value of your blog is not the only thing that will increase by Bible study, but so will your relationship with the Lord. It’s a win-win situation.

The first book I saw is actually titled Blogging the Bible.  Amazon does not say much about this book so I’m not sure what is about.

The second book I saw is called The Blogging Church.  According to Amazon this book “offers church leaders a field manual for using the social phenomenon of blogs to connect people and build communities in a whole new way. Inside you will find the why, what, and how of blogging in the local church. Filled with illustrative examples and practical advice, the authors answer key questions learned on the frontlines of ministry: Is blogging a tool or a toy? What problems will blogging solve? How does it benefit ministry? How do I build a great blog? and Who am I blogging for?” It sounds like a very interesting book.

Another book I found is titled Blogging for God Devotional but Amazon does not tell me anything about this book either.

Have you found any books on the topic of blogging the Bible?  If so, I would love to hear about them.

Yesterday while I was searching on Google for some Christian blog related topics I came across a post at Magnanimity about Safe & Secure Christian Blogging.  It is a great post but one sentence stood out to me:

“Christian blogging is not a place to be someone else, or create an alter ego who is some fantasy person. It IS a place to continue to be real and honest.”

Wow!  How true is that statement?  Romans 12:2 instructs us to be, “..not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

If we are trying to be someone we are not, we are conforming to “the world” and not God’s will.  God made us they way He wants us and that is what is important.  He gave us each talents to use and if we are not being true to ourselves, we may never discover those talents.  (Romans 12:6).

Besides it going against the will of God, why would you want to be someone else in blogging?  Why wouldn’t you want to be yourself?  I’m not talking about using made-up names to keep your identity safe, but creating a persona that is not you.  I’ve never done it, I’ve always been myself and pretty transparent, so I just don’t understand the appeal.  It seems like it would take a whole lot more work trying to be someone else then yourself online.