Big Baptist Blogs: Gauging the Most Influential Blogs among Southern Baptists by Peter Lumpkins

I took a little time to reevaluate my site, its effectiveness, traffic, and some evil but necessary maintenance issues. I'm relatively sure SBC Tomorrow still loads too slowly.  And, since I loaded a new batch of widgets (yes, there are a few paid advertisements among them, gulp...gulp), I may have created an entirely new set of issues with which to contend. Even so, I think I am through tinkering for a while.

A couple of helpful additions are two "RSS feed" widgets* (if you don't know what "RSS feed" is, don't worry about it. Suffice it to say it is not what chicken farmers in West Georgia use to fatten their flocks!). In the left hand column, note the widget entitled "The Big Baptist Blogs," and a little farther down in the right hand column, you'll see another entitled "Most Influential Blogs among Southern Baptists."

In "The Big Baptist Blogs" are included blogs whose authors are, well big!  There names would be relatively well known in every sector of Southern Baptist life. Some of the sites are more popular than others. Nonetheless, each blog undoubtedly is written by a man with a "national face" among Southern Baptists.

On the other hand, not all of the "Big Blog" boys fit into the "most influential" category among Southern Baptists.**  In fact, a large portion of the blogs which I placed in the "most influential blogs" among Southern Baptists are not, themselves, Southern Baptists. Also, some of the blogs in the "most influential" category do not, in my personal view, contribute a healthy influence. Nevertheless, the sites are there because I judged them as influential--either positively or negatively--among Southern Baptists.

Now, here's where some of  the readers can really assist me.  Considering each category, take a look at the blogs I placed there.  Are there any blogs you think carry a powerful wallop but are omitted from the "Big Baptist Blogs" or the "Most Influential Blogs among Southern Baptists"?  Type me a quick note and tell me why. Or, is there a site in either lineup which you think qualifies for neither category? Without getting too candid, type me a note and let me know.

Or, just rummage through the widgets and don't comment at all.  Perhaps you'll at least discover an "RSS feed" which will be helpful to you.

With that, I am...

Peter

*There is actually a third widget entitled "Baptist News: here, there, and yonder" which has Baptist Press and Associated Baptist Press loaded as well as  state convention papers and other "Baptist" news sources

** I remain keenly aware of the gross over-estimation placed on the net influence blogs have overall among Southern Baptists. We, after all, are still a denomination of smaller to medium-sized churches most of which wouldn't give half a hallelujah for all the blogs on the net! Nonetheless, for those Baptists--younger Baptists--who get into the social media scene, blogs are influential

***And, of course, I realize my site is listed among the "most influential" category. Believer me, it makes me a little uncomfortable in placing it there. Yet, the way the widgets work--at least the only way I know how to create them--is to begin with an "RSS feed." Hence, unless the widget was linked to someone else's site, I had to use my own. In addition, I may be able to troubleshoot future "feed" issues since my feed is in the widget

Comments

[peter lumpkins]

Dave

I tried again to load SBCI's feed and was successful. It is now in the lineup...

Wes,

Let's hope you guys do. A glaring gap remains...

With that, I am...
Peter

[Wes Kenney]

We're only mostly dead. We'll be springing back to life very soon.

[Dave Miller]

As you know, Peter, I write for SBC Impact, so I would like it to be considered. But we have had such server problems that I understand what you are saying.

We've been working on it. Hope to find a solution soon.

I'm glad your ommission is technical, not idealogical.

[peter lumpkins]

I want to go ahead and acknowledge two sites concerning which it was hard for me to omit--SBC Today and SBC Impact. As for SBC Today, my good brothers have chosen to stop regularly posting which, from all sides, is a sure nail in the coffin of any blog.

So far as SBC Impact goes, the site loads so slowly, I could not get the "RSS feed" to work.

With that, I am...
Peter