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If you follow sites like ProBlogger, Lorelle on Wordpress, and The Blog Herald, you’ll be often reminded how important it is to engage your readers:
- Email them personally when they comment for the first time.
- Thank them for reading.
- Send out personal emails when your readers start to drift away.
- Go comment on their page and leave a link to your own (Hey, I wrote this post - check it out).
- Study your numbers (visitors vs uniques, length of time per visitor, clicks, etc).
Truth be told, I don’t have that kind of time. I wish I did, though. I wish I could welcome each first time commenter with a big “WELCOME” and a smiley face. I wish I had the time to interact with our readers more…participate in blog conversations, etc. I understand that we’re in our “Dip” (Seth Godin) right now. I realize that it’s time for us to strive, not survive. With limited resources, it’s a tough task at hand.
It’s my prayer that God will continue to develop this site. I pray that we’ll end up with a committed staff (no clue to what extent) who will do the things I’ve mentioned above.
I absolutely love the concept of this site. I’m working on coming up with a mission statement.
I know some of you have told me before that this whole site concept isn’t anything groundbreaking or new. I agree with you. The thing is, though, I want to do it better than it’s ever been done before. I want to take it to the next level. I want to reach the world. I believe that we can be the best in the world. I’m not satisfied with what we (Christians) have been lead to believe it means to be a follower of Christ. I’m not satisfied with the mold we’ve created that Christians are supposed to be made from/into. And as a result, I’m not satisfied with the perception people have of Christians.
I’m gonna do something about it. I will be moved to action. This is my holy discontent.
With all this said, consider this my formal apology, loyal FC’ers. I’m trying my very best to be the best host I can be. I’m humbled that you guys continue to read. As usual, I’m honored that you guys are along for my journey.
Shalom
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Hey Bill. Two things.
Don’t you believe that “God helps those who help themselves”?
I’ve offered to help out with the forum and I’m going to make a start tomorrow with the questions from yesterday’s post.
OK, three things. It’s a great idea to cross post with other people’s blog entries. Get them to reciprocate with a return link. Most people would be more than happy to attract the extra visitors to their own site.
Maybe not, most “Christian” sites I’ve stumbled upon have been Fundy or at least extreme in their opinions. This is the first “Friendly Christian” site I’ve seen. Obviously I’m not counting the individual blogs of Christian contributors.
Honestly Bill. You’ve made considerable inroad in altering my perception of Christians. You just need to reach a larger audience. Having said that I haven’t a clue about how you can hope to reach the many millions of people who have no interest at all in religion. The indifferent masses, so to speak.
Hey hov…
I think if we got to the source of why people have no interest at all, we might find a way to meet them where they’re at and allow them an opportunity to see that perhaps their interpretation of Christianity is wrong!
I’m not naive. I understand that many people, regardless of what any Christian says or does, will never accept Christianity as truth. I just think the truest form of Christianity has been so warped that it’s become…well, what it is today: a mockery.
I’d agree with your interpretation of what Christianity in the mainstream is today. However many people, especially in my country, simply have no interest at all in religion. Any religion. At best they are indifferent agnostics. I know that this is how I would characterise my own parents and most of my friends.
You can argue with someone who disagrees with you but you haven’t a prayer on reaching someone who just doesn’t care one way or the other.
Your journey (and many other Christian’s journeys) seem to involve a period of turmoil in your lives followed by a desire to escape. You (the plural you) seem to have run towards Christianity as a means of redemption. How do you reach someone who simply does not need to seek redemption or who is living their life quite happily without the aid of, or need for, religion?
I’m generalising I know but how can you find someone who doesn’t want to be found? Especially when you have a mountain of negative stereotypes to climb over.
I think that you have to concentrate on the positive aspects of your faith and work to combat the negative parts. If you take a lesson from the New Testament you should do as Jesus did and ignore the rules that are stupid or counter productive. For what it’s worth I think that you have made an excellent start. Although you won’t find me in a church till next year when the girls get to sing in the choir again. :d