Kevin Wilson 360

I strive to provide practical content you can apply to your ministry and life through this blog. Yet there is a certain irony in blogging. I may benefit more from writing the posts than you do reading them. There is a lesson here for Christ-followers.

The folks at Nielson have reported Americans spend more than 10 hours a day staring into the soft glow of a screen. We literally spend almost 40 percent of our days passively absorbing content.

According to the old saying, “You learn more by teaching a subject than taking a subject.” The underlying principle applies to creating verses consuming content. That even includes blogging.

Shame and Blogging

There was a time when society wrote off bloggers as a fringe group, posting conspiracy theories from a corner of their parents’ basement. I’ll have you know, back then I was blogging from an upstairs room in my own house, thank you.

It didn’t take too long for mainstream Americans to figure out blog readership could multiply quickly, even exponentially. Blogging moved from darkened corners to corner offices. Then microblogging (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) took off, carrying in its wake traditional blogging.

It is readily apparent the hyper individualism of the age is driving blogging. For some of us, there is more to blogging than creating a public face we want the world to know.

Why I Blog

Blogging allows me to serve more people. At its best, blogging creates a virtual community of people engaging in God’s mission. At the least, I can equip or encourage a reader from time to time.

On a deeper level, blogging turns me from a consumer to a creator. Writing KW360 forces me to think. I have to organize my thoughts on topics. I have to process the what makes ministries or programs work or not work. It leads to clearer understanding.

I’ve served in public ministry for a quarter century, serving churches regionally for more than a decade. I could keep restating what I’ve already stated; repackaging what I’ve previously presented. KW360 keeps complacency at bay, forcing me to look anew at well-worn topics and issues.

KW360 pushes me to learn. I read articles and books. I interview people. I watch videos. I listen to podcasts. I’m in a field (public ministry) that does not require continuing education to continue serving. Blogging is an informal path to professional development.

Moving from Consumer to Creator

If you’re consuming 10 hours of content on screens a day (or if you’re consuming 5 hours a day), it’s time to shift some of that time to creating.

How do you want to create? You could blog or design web pages. You could write poetry. You could send encouraging emails to three different people each week. You could send handwritten notes to three people a week. I

Consider picking up an old hobby. What did you do in your formative years? Paint? Play music? Act? I sold my camera equipment and darkroom to pay for a semester of seminary training. Twenty years later our daughter introduced me to Instagram. Now I’m back into photography. You can see some of my images at digitalaviary.me.

Create something. In a way, the very act of creating honors the Creator. It establishes an environment for self-discovery and personal growth. It can bolster your self-confidence.

Your creations could inspire other people. Other creatives might refine their skills studying your creative works. New relationships can develop through becoming a creator. Creating can provide opportunities for you to serve others in Christ’s name.

Create something. Create something now.

Share what you create in the comments section or shoot me an email.