Today I offer my fourth entry in my “scientifically subjective” evaluation of ministry related blogs. And the featured blog today comes from Pastor Mark Batterson (third day in a row with a Pastor, hmmm?), it is called: evotional.com. Batterson is the pastor of the multi-site National Community Church in the Washington, DC metro area. And Like the two previous pastoral blog I have reviewed, evotional.com is an extension of Pastor Batterson’s ministry at National Community Church.
On the header to the evotional.com blog, it is introduced by this tag line: “Warning - may cause excessive creativity, enlarged dreams, and an increased appetite for God.” If you have read Batterson’s books, you will quickly realize that this tagline is a life-guiding ambition of Batterson. His church and his writing are certainly fulfillments of that ambition; moreover, evotional.com should be added to this list.
[Note: Unrelated to his blog, if for nothing more than the titles, you need to check out his two books: In a Pit With a Lion On a Snowy Day, and Wild Goose Chase.]
Evotional.com is Pastor Batterson’s invitation into his world. The Blog is very personal in its presentation. When you read it, one can get the sense you’re setting in NCC’s Ebenezers Coffeehouse talking over a cup of coffee with him. Through his blog, Batterson gives us a daily glimpse into his personal life, into his writing, to the places he is speaking (he speaks at numerous conferences), and of what is going on at National Community Church as well. And through all this, Batterson uses his blog to inform, spiritually nurture, and to encourage all who might read it.
Well, you get the idea that I enjoy this blog. Below is my more detailed evaluation (based on my “subjective criteria” and 3 Star Rating system) of evotional.com:
Total score: 20 out of 21. I highly recommend evotional.com to you. Also, another bonus of the site are the links to the NCC ministry. You can view video introductions to the preaching series Batterson is working through, message video casts and mp3s, and other resources as well.Content – Always in the “spiritual formation” realm of things, and almost always it does. Rating: 3 Stars - Excellent, always good stuff.
Informative – Much about Batterson and his life and ministry at NCC, sometimes unrelated to the rest of us who are not connected to NCC. Rating: 2 Stars - Pretty Good, most of the time.
Current – He gives a new post just about every day (sometimes more), as well as regular Twitter updates, so there is always something fresh to read. Rating: 3 Stars - Excellent, always good stuff.
Interesting –Although it mainly concerns Batterson and his ministry, I do find it quite profitable as he lays his Pastor’s heart out for all of us to see. Rating: 3 Stars - Excellent, always good stuff.
Creative – Yes, come on! Someone who names a book “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day,” or whom writes a book about the ministry of the Holy Spirit called “Wild Goose Chase,” gets an automatic pass on this category. Rating: 3 Stars - Excellent, always good stuff.
Relevant – Yeap! Rating: 3 Stars - Excellent, always good stuff.
Appeal – I love the look of his blog, to me, it is probably one the most visually appealing blogs I read. Rating: 3 Stars - Excellent, always good stuff.
Blessings
3 John 8
Bill H.
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