Is linking to those who do not link back to me important?

Yes it is, practice some generosity, it is a virtue. “It’s nice to be nice.” Keep all of your links sorted by topic or inside of the context of a article. This also will give you better ranking on the web.

What kinds of posts are popular for others to link to?

The answer to this question is T O P I C A L. Articles that are designed to address popular issues and key word phrases are by all means the most popular articles with web masters. However, professionals believe in doing this naturally so that readers don’t get suspicious about the content. The articles must appear as though they “suit” the blog. If you have time, visit real newspapers and magazines run by professionals on the web. Take out a years membership with one of them and familiarize yourself with their marketing and writing tactics.

People search the web with key words or phrases most of the time. Seekers rarely search for Jesus intentionally. It is not likely that they will type in the web address of your church or ministry. I’ve been complaining about this for years now. But to no avail yet. I recently visited a marvelous Christian Broadcast website. They had the best content but I simply could not link to it. Every time I tried to link to an article from my blog the pages would shut down on me and shoot me straight back to a main search page on this site. I could go to the website to read articles there but I could not send any of my visitors to specific articles through my own pages. I literally would have to describe to my readers “how” to access material from this website. Who wants to take the time to read directions about “how” to access articles from a site you don’t own or care to visit? My point is, I need to be able to direct traffic to excellent topical materials at the touch of a link. A seeker is not looking to flatter those who intimidate them or who they don’t trust to possess unconditional love. Many people avoid Christianity because of negative experiences they have had with Christians in the past. They do not understand that it is Jesus who loves them. All they see is people. People who didn’t love them in the past and that these were people somehow connected with a church. Seekers need to be introduced to Christ by key word phrases on the internet or they will be able to avoid finding Him altogether. Blogs are quite beneficial by these means if they are made public.

Question and Answer Articles are written by Kathy Grimm; these are not in the public domain. 

Is it better to open a free blog software for my church than it is to create regular internet web pages?

Yes, most of the time. This is a smart idea if your church has a tight budget, limited resources, and you only intend to publish information for the congregation to access alone. Blogs are perfect for this type of use. Also blogs, are user friendly software. You don’t need to rely upon the availability of a web designer in order to update your pages or remove them. You can do all of these functions yourself at little to no expense to your church. In fact, if you are a pastor or church secretary, we recommend that you become very familiar with blog software in your free time. This will give you an educational advantage should your church ever decide to conduct a ministry online. It will also help your congregation trim their budget expenses. One of the volunteer staff members here at our blog says that her church spends on average $5000 a year for it’s web site. I’ve seen this web site myself and it is absolutely “no big deal.” They could fall off the back side of a log and improve this baby. Blogs are pretty sweet these days. We are all in agreement on this one. Pastors and priests should run their own congregation’s web pages or hire office help to run a free blog until they have well established ministries that demand the attention of a staff.

Question and Answer Articles are written by Kathy Grimm; these are not in the public domain. 

How do I get others to link to my blog or web pages?

Here is a list of considerations when applying to other web masters for a link. Ask yourself the questions below first before approaching someone about a linking partnership.

1. Does the website have similar content?
2. Would the website owner consider you competition?
3. Does the website already carry corporate advertising? If so, they are probably under a contract with that specific company and can not oblige some requests even if they would like to.
4. Does your product or content compliment the product or content of the website you would like traffic from and vice versa?
5. Would the owners consider your content immoral or unethical?
6. Would visitors from their web pages be offended by your content?
7. Do there appear to be other links like your own on their website already?
8. How old is the site? Is it possible that it is abandoned?

What kinds of things should I include on my blog so that search engines will rank it higher?

1. Many posts varied in length. 150 words, 250 words, 350 words
2. Listing your blog on search engines.
3. Foot traffic.
4. Internal linking
5. External linking
6. Popular topics of interest
7. Yearly updates and new formats
8. Consistent new content
9. Excellent organization of content
10. Continuing sagas, reasons for returning traffic
11. Daily feeds. Blogger.com has new gadgets on their software that promote this kind of content.
12. Links to other bloggers in specific
13. Materials that are specific to particular key words but more importantly key word phrases. Key words are “overused.”

Must an art ministry be run by an artistic person?

Yes, but it is best run by an artistic pastor. Primarily because the goal of an art ministry is to share the gospel with the artists and teach them how to share it with others through their artworks. This goal is often side stepped and forgotten by artists who do not ordinarily practice these ideas in their own work and lifestyle. A liturgical or biblical artist/professor is an excellent alternative to a pastor or priest. But he or she must stick to a curriculum that is agreed upon by the lead minister of the church.

An artist who is not well trained in theology and biblical history may make some serious mistakes about “how” to portray subjects from a Christian world view.  Fine arts ministry is a specific field of study with deliberate agendas. It is best run by those individuals who understand the focus of ministry in general as well as have a in depth understanding of the creation of religious subjects. I have met some individuals who are very talented in these sorts of arenas and were not pastors or great artists. But be very careful about employing ordinary artists to undertake fine arts ministry inside of a church. It is not as easy as it may sound.

A music minister sometimes is a very good choice in such cases. He may not be a fine painter, but he could be very talented with communicating art and the gospel in his own field. A fine arts ministry would not be as difficult for him to lead, if he reads some great literature before hand.

Remember that to lead a fine arts ministry one must have fortitude and  honesty, but also a great big heart for people. This leader should also be humble so that he does not make decisions that are egocentric in nature. He should desire to teach and lift up others more than himself. Just because art is the vehicle for this kind of ministry, it does not mean that only the best artists should have a voice. That kind of conclusion is a “worldly agenda” and it must be kept within reasonable limits inside of a church art ministry.

Question and Answer Articles are written by Kathy Grimm; these are not in the public domain.

Should artists be allowed to sell their work out of a church?

This question feels sticky to most people who ask it, but it is not as tricky as it is generally thought to be by church folks. Most pastors ask this question of me like this, “The church shouldn’t become a market place should it?” and of course, the answer is no. God’s house is a place for prayer and worship primarily and for study too. Some exhibits that I have been in publish artist’s listing prices next to the artworks along with a title and other information. Some churches publish listing prices only in a bulletin handed out during opening night. I have never participated in a church exhibit where the church ever took a percentage of sales from an artist. This was primarily reasoned as “an agenda” for marketing by the church and therefore, an “inappropriate activity.” Are you surprised? Well, don’t be. Because this point of view is entirely Biblically correct. You see Jesus chased out the money changers because they were selling small animals for sin sacrifices that the Jews who journeyed from afar needed to make. These poor people often could not realistically bring sacrifices with them. Generally speaking the merchants would sell small doves to the poor who would then turn around and give the doves to the priest in that same church to slaughter. The money changers were also in the business of translating the value of coinage into products that the pilgrims might need for worship. In other words the merchants were making profits from things the pilgrims “needed” in order to worship God. They profited from that which should have belonged to God alone.

In any case, I usually advise a church to keep a price list along with a contact number or e-mail discreetly tucked away with a secretary should any person ever be curious enough to buy an artwork. (And this seldom happens.) The church never should have the agenda of requiring church members to purchase something from themselves in order to keep in good standing with God. Grace has been paid on our behalf by the shedding of Jesus’ blood. There are no alternative or necessary money sacrifices to be made from a believer in order to worship God freely and gain His forgiveness. Having an art show should never be equated with selling indulgences or with taking advantage of the audience in any religious respect. But selling something by dealing with the artist directly after the show in the artist’s own home is perfectly alright as long as the patron understands that there is no connection to the church in doing so. In other words, buy something because you like it, not because you must buy it in order to appease God. And, churches should temper their money making efforts. Don’t make people feel guilty for not giving to your charities. Don’t make them feel as though they are not loved by God because they can only afford less than what you need from them. Money should not be a point of manipulation inside of a Christian church and it should never be a point of focus in terms of people’s salvation.

Question and Answer Articles are written by Kathy Grimm; these are not in the public domain.

What type of Christian blog should I develop for ministry purposes?

Develop a ministry blog based upon your own private interests or profession. By these means you will be able to maintain interest in a long term project, will have a legitimate knowledge of the things you write about and will be less likely to bore others consequently. Write what you know and care about what you write!

Remember, the benefit of keeping a blog instead of other software, is that people are able to engage you in a conversation about your posts. Make sure that you are relatively competent in holding a conversation about the subjects you address in your posts. For instance, we wouldn’t dream of blogging about politics because we know nothing about politics.

Question and Answer Articles are written by Kathy Grimm; these are not in the public domain. 

Should pastors blog?

Yes sir. Blogging is a great way to include seekers in your ministry as well as educate young inexperienced believers. Blogging is also hip, and you want to move along with the times don’t you? You’ve got to live in the world in order to reach it. We’re not suggesting that you give into ungodly activities, we’re just suggesting that you speak in love to the audience that God sets at your table. For some of you, this may very well be over the internet.

Blogging is also a reasonably inexpensive way for pastors to communicate with their congregation. Well, it’s free. Need we say more?

Question and Answer Articles are written by Kathy Grimm; these are not in the public domain. 

The top ten mistakes bloggers can and do make?

We’ve listed the top ten, we are sure there are more.

1. Posting 15 times only.
2. Refusing to include links
3. Posting with type that can not be easily read
4. Posting with only a few lines of type
5. Posting to market products without human interest articles available on the blog as well
6. Foul language makes people think you can’t think
7. Including jpgs. that are not adapted to internet browsers
8. Ignoring the importance of visual interest. Although people go to blogs to read, they still need a bit of visual interest to keep them entertained.
9. Blogging constantly about negative topics. Not everyone wants to be depressed with your problems.
10. Not taking any responsibility for the kinds of things you blog about, it is highly unprofessional