I’ve been following the conversation at Evangelical Outpost with a tremendous amount of interest. Joe is really shaking things up in the Evangelical blog community. I’m wondering, if it really isn’t an attempt to encourage what Brad, from 21st Century Reformation is saying over at The Dialogical Coffeehouse. I certainly took it that way myself.

What way? Well, let me tell you. Glenn Reynolds, the Instapundit, is so widely influential because his blog is what is known as a “metablog”. He links to specialists, who have the specific commentary on an issue. Well, I think we DO need meta blogs. But, we also need “communities”. If we are going to be “God blogs”, let’s follow the Biblical model. There is the overarching church – there are the individual churches – then there are the ministries within that church, and the small groups – the bible studies, and the like. So, let’s look at Brad’s graphic, concentrating on the right.

When he shows the “focus groups” side of things, he’s basically showing all of the above. There are larger groups – sort of like our “meta blogs” (or megachurches, like one commenter pointed out – though I’d only take that so far). Then, there are the “Specialty communities”. Under that are the “ministries” (like, for example, my apologetics-centered attempts), then, the small groups. – I’ll go into them later.

So, when we look at that – what do we see? Blogs are, indeed, much like the left graphic – but, it’s those smaller communities that we miss. A lot of them interact, but to what degree? The largest communities are the PoliBlogs – they have had the most attention, thus, they are the biggest group – as they had the biggest demand. However, the “godblogs” are growing like weeds now. How do we harness them, and bring them into a position where they can exercise their gifts and abilities within the blogosphere, in a creative, useful, and energetic way?

Here is my solution.

Another example

(DO NOT TAKE PLACEMENT OF GROUPS TO HEART. I JUST INSERTED RANDOM GROUPS I KNOW OF THAT CAME TO MIND. )

Please, don’t look at the actual inter-relationships. Look at the theory being shown.

We already have several “meta blogs”, and “aggregators” – the major ones are, to my eyes, Hugh Hewitt, for the Christian PoliBlogs (although he has quite a bit of influence in the general Conservative PoliBlogs, also). Evangelical Outpost, for general Evangelical blogs – along with the “Evangelical Aggregator“, run by Stephen, of ChristWeb. Adrian Warnock, with his “Blogdom of God“, and Jollyblogger, with his “Reformed” Aggregator. Ok – still with me?

We have Hugh, and a slew of other Poli Metablogs, and group blogs – they do a great job covering our interests, and our political views. Here’s what I think – We do not need any more political blogs right now. Still with me? They have done a spectacular, faboulous, amazing job. However… we “god blogs” need to start getting organized – as many have already started. We have done an admirable job “banding together” – now, we need to start networking – for real. Our metablogs – if that is what they want to do for us, need to do a Glenn or Hugh-like job of meta-blogging the “under meta-blogs”. The “under metas”, or specialty-related metablogs, need to start meta-blogging their specialties. That way, we know exactly who to get info from, who is reliable, and where to read, if we need information on a certain topic, or want to learn about it. With me? When Glenn, Hugh, and the rest took on CBS, it was because experts assembled to take on the issue – and they knew who to take the issue to, so it would get out. The metablog ran with it – and the rest is history. We all clear? We’re not altogether interested in politics, per se – but when you need an answer from an expert, you shouldn’t have to surf forever to find it. We have a TON of resources, and a TON of scholars to choose from – but we’re scattered from here to kingdom come. It doesn’t have to be this way…

Here’s my next thing.

Within those specialties, or within a certain group – cultivate friendship with a few other bloggers who share interests (I happened to see this, as I was browsing his site – WHILE I was writing this. Scary :D). I know we’re sort of like the “Wild West” still – but there really should be networks down to the 3-4 blog level. “A cord of three strands is not easily broken” – remember? Noone should have to be a lone ranger, when they take on an issue. The more heads, and prayer, we have on an issue, the more wise we will be. Look how successful “group blogs” have been? (I wonder if this is why this blog was formed?)

So, we have meta blogs (and the respective “alliances”) – the specialty/ministry blogs (Bilioblogs, Apologetics blogs, Theology blogs, Philosophy blogs… and, remember – a lot of them are complementary, so we’ll get cross-networking there, also) – then the bible studies, the “three stranded cords”, and the like.

I know, I know. I’m just applying all sorts of whacky “structure” to the sprawling blog world…

But… it works – doesn’t it? And, it has the added bonus of being organized much like the church in the “real” world is. So… comments? Hash it out with me. Hash something out. Or, just mercilessly beat me about the head and shoulder,s for being an upstart, and mouthy 😀 Whatever works!

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The Ghetto: Solutions series

Notes on the Ghetto – and Solutions
The Ghetto: Solutions II
The Ghetto: Meta-Niching
The Ghetto: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Related:

Links to the World – Church as Power Network
Buying a Ticket: Breaking out of the Evangelical Ghetto
Breaking out of the Evangelical Ghetto
Evangelical Ghetto