SBC Voices is appropriately named. It is a place where people from a diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints across the SBC spectrum can come to discuss various topics of interest. In some ways we do a good job of accomplishing that objective here. We are not here to push an agenda. We are here to provide a place for Southern Baptists to write, think, challenge each other, and even encourage one another. I am thankful for SBC Voices for this very reason, and it is one of the reasons I agreed to oversee the site for the next several months as Dave directs his attention toward the pastors’ conference.
With that being said, there are a couple of demographics we lack around here. One is ladies. Though I have not done a scientific poll to see if I am right, I expect that approximately 50% of the 15 million plus Southern Baptists are women. The percentage may be a little higher since women are more likely to attend church without their husbands than men are without their wives. We have a few ladies who comment here from time to time, but I do not remember ever seeing a post here written by a woman. I don’t know why that is. Probably because we don’t have women pastors in the SBC and most of the people who write and comment here are pastors.
That brings me to the second demographic we lack. Where are the lay people? We have some who comment here, but I would love to see more posts written by laymen. Let’s not think that us pastors are the only ones who have anything to contribute to discussions about the important issues facing the Southern Baptist Convention. There are lay people all across our convention who are deeply invested in what goes on among Southern Baptists. They offer a different perspective that is often very helpful.
I say all that to say, “Send me your posts!” I do not intend to write at SBC Voices 2 or 3 times a day. I’ll be doing good if I find the time to write 3 or 4 times a week. But I would like to have something to post at least twice a day. A post to go up in the morning and another post to go up in the early afternoon would be my preference. We could even put up a third post in the evening if we have enough material to post that often.
One of the great things about SBC Voices is the comment section. I recently made the comment that I do not come to SBC Voices to do my devotions. I view this website as an outlet for discussion that helps inform and challenge us as Southern Baptists and as followers of Jesus. Our traffic is up and the comment section is better when the posts are flowing. So if you have something you would like to submit as a guest post, you can send it to pastoradamblosser@gmail.com. What you write does not have to conform to my views. In fact, I hope that we will have posts I disagree with. So send it on, and let’s get the discussion rolling.
As a lay person, I notice that many posts are written for a perspective held by pastors. Since mostly pastors contribute, that is not surprising. Nor do I see anything wrong with it.
But if many lay people are like me, they would find much of that uninteresting, but even if interesting, they would have nothing to add to the conversation.
This it is to be expected on a pastor intense blog that lay people on many occasions have little or nothing to add.
I’m a pastor’s wife, and I love reading this blog.
I would like to see more from women and laypeople. Occasionally, female
commenters are not respected here.
It would be a nice thing to hear from the laity and ladies. Their perspective would add to any of the discussions. I think William is factual here and that among Pastors we can tend to talk at the other instead of to them. I am not sure if those among the laity want to deal with that concerning theological or SBC political stuff. The same is for us, how many of us want to join the discussion of a blog dealing with engineering matters, or plumbing matters, or Pinterest matters (mentioned due to my wife trying to get me… Read more »
I follow SBC voices on a regular basis. I happen to be a layman — former Silicon Valley software engineer. I also been involved in churches in various volunteer roles — such as Sunday School teacher for 3rd graders and then later senior adults. Also I used to run a live broadcast on a local FM broadcast station of the Sunday evening service of the church we attended in Silicon Valley. That program had a very high rating during the time slot it was on the air. Upon retirement my wife and I were exploring the idea of doing some… Read more »
I’m female and a layperson and I’ve commented here before. It’s a pastor-heavy place and many of the posts are of more interest to pastors, staff & insiders. I don’t think anyone has been rude or snippy to me here. I appreciate that.
I am a layperson, firefighter by trade, but since our church doesn’t have a pastor, I preach on a rotation with two other men, under authority of our elders.
Probably the readership of SBCVoices largely consists of pastors. Certainly the commenters are largely pastors. Also, pastors tend to be educated on the issues at hand far more than most laypeople. So there are at least a couple of factors at play here: 1) You tend to write to your known readership, particularly to those who comment. 2) Laypeople who aren’t as educated on the issues aren’t likely to want to subject their writing to the scrutiny of pastors who are. Since the issues that garner comments are those that are debatable, I guarantee that any layperson who posts anything… Read more »