GodblogCon '07
by Ted Slater on 09/28/2007 at 2:24 PM
Christian bloggers need help.
We need encouragement, we need information about how to embrace new technologies and make the most of existing ones, we need advice on how to improve our effectiveness and hone our messages. We need the fellowship of other Christian bloggers.
On Nov. 8 and 9, Boundless Line bloggers Steve Watters, Motte Brown and I will travel to Las Vegas to be with our peers -- and our mentors -- wrestling with how best to honor the Lord through our blogging work. The name of the event, open to all, is GodblogCon.
Last year we went, and we loved it. There's nothing like chatting face-to-face with those who inspire you -- Hugh Hewitt, Joe Carter, James Kushiner, La Shawn Barber, Charmaine Yoest and others. This year features Al Mohler, John Mark Reynolds, Mark D. Roberts, Joe Carter, Paul Spears, La Shawn Barber and many others. Session topics include:
- Pioneering the New Media for Christ
- Beginning and Maintaining a Meaningful Blog
- The Pastor As Godblogger
- New Media Ministry to the Myspace- Facebook Generation
- Identifying Impact In Culture for Christians In New Media
- Communicating Biblical Womanhood
- Trafficking in Substance a Blogging Dilemma
- Finding the Platform to Meet Your Needs
- Writing Well in the New Media
- Design Desiderata for the Godblogger
- Developing a Pod & Vidcast Ministry
Last year's GodblogCon was its own event, hosted by Biola University. This year it's part of the larger BlogWorld & New Media Expo, which is offering its own set of sessions. It's really going to be hopping.
We're really excited to go again this year, obviously. So excited that we're helping sponsor the event, and have been asked to be official "live bloggers." If you end up attending, please stop by and say hi to us! We'd love to put a face with a name. Motte might even give you a chocolate bar.
1. Jim Turner said the following at 2:41 PM on Sep 28:
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Can't wait to meet up with you and the rest of the Christian bloggers. My company is also a sponsor. Perhaps you could come on the Blog World Expo radio show? Send me an email and I'll get you set up.
2. John said the following at 5:22 PM on Sep 28:
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Yeah, lets all go to Sin City for the Christian Bloggers Conve, wait, something doesn't sound right.
Not sure what it is, but hmmmm.
3. Jice said the following at 7:00 PM on Sep 28:
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Wow, I kinda want to drive up there and check it out. Have they designed a buttom to launch stupid posters out of their chair? If so, send it over to the Relevant Boards
4. J.T. said the following at 7:13 PM on Sep 28:
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Maybe GodBlogCon08 will be in a more favorable location. Why Las Vegas? Why not LA?
5. Ted Slater said the following at 8:12 PM on Sep 28:
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I too was disappointed, frankly, that GodblogCon was in Vegas this year. The thing is, this is where BlogWorld & New Media Expo is being held, and GodblogCon is kind of a subset of that.
You wouldn't believe the amount of trouble the Boundless team went through to find a hotel that doesn't have slot machines. But we did find one.
6. John said the following at 5:45 AM on Sep 29:
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I know that almost everything today, it seems, is happening in Vegas (NBA All-Star game, countless TV shows, Miss America Pageant, etc.)
It just sounds not right that a Christian organization would be excited about having a convention in "Sin City".
Of course I also know that just about every major "tech" convention is held there.
Have fun.
7. Justice said the following at 12:00 PM on Sep 29:
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Wow Ted, I went there recently and found a bunch of hotels right next to the convention center without slots. Maybe the trouble is finding one online.
8. Robin Munn said the following at 1:56 AM on Sep 30:
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Personally, I'd have no problem attending a convention in Las Vegas. "In but not of" and all that. But if others' consciences are bothered by it, then perhaps a different city should be considered. There are plenty of cities with good convention centers.
For example, Indianapolis has a very large convention center that can easily accomodate tens of thousands of people. The Gen Con gaming convention, which over 20,000 people attend every year, is held in Indianapolis, and it accomodates the convention quite nicely. I'm sure there are many other convention centers that would work equally well.
9. Mike Theemling said the following at 9:06 AM on Sep 30:
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There are a couple of reasons why many organizations choose Las Vegas to have their conventions:
1) Usually the prices are better. Because the city/casinos know that they will make it up with people gambling they can take a loss on hotel, food, etc. and still come out ahead. The same goes for airlines who often have deals with the hotels there and thus can give cheaper ticket prices.
2) People WANT to come to Vegas. If the convention were say in Trenton, NJ (no offense intended) who would actually come other than those exicited about the conference itself? It's a city where people want to come and play/visit and "Oh by the way, there's a convention here too". It helps maximize participation.
If I were still living in Vegas I'd attend, but I won't be going until Thanksgiving.
10. shirley Buxton said the following at 9:15 AM on Sep 30:
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Enjoyed this site...especially to hear of the "blogging convention." Thanks for the info.
11. Rachel s said the following at 10:28 AM on Sep 30:
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Or...
What better place to reach masses of non-Christians than in the middle of "Sin City"? I mean really, is LA any less lost than Las Vegas anyway? Maybe God just felt like being ironic in sending the conference to Vegas. And who knows, even if the conference was in a less offensive city, you could still be having it alongside some decidedly un-Christian conference, like a GLBT organisation, or Hell's Angels, etc.
12. Ahnivah said the following at 7:06 AM on Oct 1:
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You know that there are actually CHURCHES in Las Vegas, right??? One of my old high school friends is actually a pastor in "Sin City," a place that needs all of the "salt and light" we can possible give.... Don't be weird about going to Vegas. God lives there, too.
13. Jo said the following at 11:23 AM on Oct 1:
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"Have they designed a buttom to launch stupid posters out of their chair? If so, send it over to the Relevant Boards"
^Disrespectful posters are just as annoying as "stupid" ones. And, before you say it, I CAN take a joke. However, I imagine that if something like that was said about Boundless on the Relevant boards, most of you would be offended.
14. Jo said the following at 4:06 PM on Oct 1:
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Eek, there's another Jo!
15. John said the following at 6:02 PM on Oct 1:
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Ahnivah, You do have a sense of humor, don't you???
In case people have lost their sense of humor, I was saying it sounds not right (funny even, not comical, just funny) that there's a Christian convention in "Sin City." I never said that it was wrong or that it should not happen.
Again, as usual, far too much is read into a post that just isn't there nor implied!