My first liveblogging opportunity happened just about a year ago when I was asked to blog the 2005 Desiring God National Conference. I knew nothing about the art of liveblogging (and neither did anyone else I knew) so I just sort of made it up as I went along. I was gratified to see that the response was good and than many people took the opportunity to visit my site to read about the conference as it progressed. It was an unexpected surprise that many people attending the conference enjoyed reading my summaries in the evenings after they returned to their hotel rooms. It seemed to all involved that the experiment had been a success.
After Desiring God, I was able to liveblog the Shepherd’s Conference, Together for the Gospel and WorshipGod06 as conference organizers began to see that liveblogging adds an interesting and helpful dimension to a conference. I learned something new at each of these events and at this point I feel that I’ve got a fairly good handle on how liveblogging works, though in a sense I continue to make it up as I go since there is not an objective standard on what it involves and how to do it right. I am continually grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to attend such wonderful conferences and to listen to the teaching of some godly men. The fact that this is a unique blessing is not lost on me.
Future liveblogging opportunities continue to roll in. I have already accepted several exciting opportunities for next year and am considering a couple more. It seems that I may have the opportunity to attend a diverse number of conferences in the coming year. It really is my joy to prayerfully consider each of these events and to attempt to serve the body of Christ in providing updates from the conferences. At the same time, I feel a bit hesitant since I am not sure how liveblogging fits the model of what I do with my blog. I also find it difficult to be away from home. As much as I love attending conferences, it is always difficult to go away and I always look forward to returning to my family. And so I have some mixed emotions as I look to the future.
While I consider my future in regards to liveblogging, I thought it might be helpful to know the opinions of the readers of this site regarding these conferences. Feel free to answer these questions as objectively as you like. Any other advice or information you have would be appreciated. Do you find it is an interesting and helpful addition to this site to have blogs written about the various conferences? Do you think there are ways that I could make liveblogging a more helpful service? Are there some conferences you think would benefit from liveblogging? Do you think it would be beneficial if I blogged more or fewer conferences? I guess I am just looking for information and advice that will help me as I consider blogging future events. I appreciate any you’re willing to provide!
Comments (18) »
1. Mathew Sims
August 19, 2006
3:56 PM
Tim,
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your live-blogging. I attended the T4G conference and used my notes and yours to really take a look back and meditate on the truth presented.
I have alos benefited from your presence at conference I could not attend. Obvisouly you cannot do every conference. Maybe a handful of conference every year would be great to consistent blog. I think the ones you’ve attended so far would be a great foundation (Shepher’s, DG, WorshipGod) maybe throw in a couple of newbies every year and mix things up. I think it is a great service to the Church.
Mathew B. Sims
Soli Deo Gloria
2. Phillip
August 19, 2006
4:03 PM
Tim, I have enjoyed your liveblog opportunities. While each of them is unique because of the content of the conference, each has been worth the read. When I liveblogged my first conference earlier this month, I found it most challenging to figure out how to transfer what I heard into something impacting for my readers. My debate was, do I just summarize the teaching or do I seek to repackage it into a more typical blog post format to better engage the readers.
With that in mind, I think that liveblogs are at their best when they are presented in a way geared towards the audience, and they cover conferences that are not too specialized for your audience. I look forward to many more in the future.
3. Gospeldrivenlife@gmail.com
August 19, 2006
4:36 PM
Tim:
This is an unusual way to serve the church and you do a fair and honest job of summarizing for those who would not be there. There are inherent limitations, as is seen in the recent limited fracas over the Worship Conference. It may well be there are some things from conferences that should not be blogged because you have to be there to know what was happening. It may serve us to think through what cannot be accurately described in a BLOG. It may be summaries of messages and honor to people for gracious acts of service.
I think you have to be careful not to become the King of Blogging as you have a family to lead first of all. I would think events that are cross-denominational or “watershed” are the key ones and there are not many of those.
I appreciate the gracious tone you take in all things and am encouraged with the lowered “volume” in the blogosphere. Thanks for your efforts.
Mark Lauterbach
4. Bethany
August 19, 2006
4:54 PM
Liveblogging is indeed new and alien to most of the blogging crowd… but it’s something that has proved to be useful, edifying, and God-glorifying! Thank you for taking these opportunities to attend conferences and share the messages and lessons with us- those who are unable to attend.
May I suggest liveblogging the Resolved conference, held at Grace Community Church? The 2007 line up of speakers includes.. John Piper, John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, Rick Holland, and CJ Mahaney. Fun!
5. Dan Sudfeld
August 19, 2006
5:08 PM
Count me in as one who has benefitted from you liveblogging past conferences. The Lord has given you an uncanny ability that you have used to benefit His church. Keep at it!
Since you asked for advice, I would humbly encourage you to perhaps pick a number and then accept that many conference invitations every year (after dialogue with your family).
For myself, being a pastor, I choose to attend one conference every calendar. Kudos go to our church leadership for seeing the benefit of such conferences for my own growth.
6. Jon
August 19, 2006
7:39 PM
Tim,
I agree with Mark L. on the importance of your family. I know this is already of great importance to you and no one is telling you anything you don’t already know, but we can all become deceived by our own hearts. It is encouraging to see your desire to honor God and your family in all you do. What an evidence of God’s grace in your life.
As to the conferences you have live-blogged so far, I can only tell you I have been greatly blessed by your service to us. You can’t go wrong with the ministries you have joined with so far. Perhaps one a quarter? I guess the best place for you to get advice is from your wife as your travel will effect her the most.
Will you be a the DG conference in October? I would love to thank you personally.. Praying for God to give you wisdom in this area of life.
Jon
7. Tim Challies
August 19, 2006
7:43 PM
“Will you be a the DG conference in October?”
I sure will. I’ll probably be back by the sound booth (where I like to hang out).
“May I suggest liveblogging the Resolved conference, held at Grace Community Church?”
That is one I am currently considering. It looks like an interesting conference and, with an audience of 18 to 30-year olds, is quite a bit different in flavor from the others I’ll be attending.
8. donsands
August 19, 2006
9:59 PM
Keep on liveblogging my brother. You have been used as a vessel of the Lord to encourage, edify, and even refresh the saints of God.
And we are in great need of such gifted servants of the Lord as yourself to do just that. The Lord gifts us to serve, and I believe the Lord gifts us with gifts that bring us great joy.
If this service for the Lord, and for the church, brings you much joy, then I believe this is a good reason to continue .
“joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Eph 4:16
And I also agree about the importance of your fam.
9. Brian Thornton
August 19, 2006
11:20 PM
Tim,
Liveblogging is most defintiely a benefit for those who are not at the conference, and is apparantly beneficial to some who are also there.
I hope you will continue to do it.
ps. I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to ‘seudo’ live-blog the Ligonier National Conference earlier this year through the comments section of your site. Maybe that can be done with the conferences you are not able to attend…allowing someone who is there to post entries about what is going on.
10. Jabbok
August 20, 2006
9:14 AM
Charity begins at home.
We can discuss faith vs. blind faith. We can discuss how God leads and how we follow.
We can discuss God’s will and how to discover it, etc. etc.
I believe that when God calls He also equips. I believe that when God sends He also supplies. Case in point: Joseph and Mary were a young couple with a new born baby. They were poor. So poor that they offered doves (the cheapest) as a sacrifice to God. So poor that they wrapped their baby in swaddling clothes (rags). God says, “Take the baby and move to Egypt.” How does this young, poor couple with a newborn do that? It takes money to move. So, along come some wise men bearing gifts, precious gifts, costly gifts, valuable gifts that can be converted into funds for the journey. When God sends, God supplies.
If you have to pay for your own transportation and lodging I wouldn’t go. I wouldn’t consider it a sacrifice made for the sake of ministry. Your service is valuable to the Christian community but we shouldn’t expect you to put a strain on your finances for our own benefit and if the powers that be don’t recognize that and make the appropriate provisions for you then they aren’t worth listening to or supporting.
11. Tim Challies
August 20, 2006
10:42 AM
Jabbok - I have found that the organizations I have been involved with have been more than fair in taking care of me, so there are no worries there! :)
12. Francisco
August 20, 2006
4:08 PM
Tim,
IMHO, I am of the idea that you either train or invite more people -likeminded believers- to do the lifeblogging in the near future instead of you accepting more invitations. The Body is edified with your humble comments. Your family needs attention too. You already acknowledge and see that. Given that provisions are made for your travel expenses, I guess you ought to stick to the -don’t like this word- best conferences available out there (DG, Shepherd’s, T4TG).
13. Jeri
August 20, 2006
6:11 PM
Tim, I’m sure you’ll do what is wise and best for your family, and you do a great job live-blogging and I think it’s a good thing for the conferences. But not just anybody who can type fast could do what you do.
I’m wondering if registration for the events you’ve covered has increased since you’ve been doing this. It seems like it would, eventually.
14. Leslie
August 20, 2006
7:44 PM
As a stay-at-home mom of four, I do not go to conferences. Our budget can’t handle it and my leaving our home for several days is never a good idea. If it were not for your blog I would have no way of being a part of the conferences I would love to attend.
The live-blogs also help me determine if I want to purchase the audios.
One thing I enjoy is a picture or two from each session. I understand there may be rights involved and all that, but seeing a current picture (or a pic while speaking) of the speaker would be interesting to me. A visual of the interior and the crowd would be cool, too. Like you did for the shepherd’s conference. That was awesome.
Even the little details like which songs are sung are helpful, as knowing this helps me get an idea of the atmosphere and feel of the conference.
Kudos to Aileen for making your home such a great place that you hate to leave it for long!
15. Tim Challies
August 20, 2006
8:58 PM
“One thing I enjoy is a picture or two from each session. I understand there may be rights involved and all that, but seeing a current picture (or a pic while speaking) of the speaker would be interesting to me. A visual of the interior and the crowd would be cool, too. Like you did for the shepherd’s conference. That was awesome.”
Leslie,
That is a great suggestion. Unfortunately I do not have a good camera and one that is capable of taking shots that would be worth looking at! I am thinking of trying to scrape together some money for just that. I hear digital SLR is the way to go…
16. Ochuk
August 21, 2006
10:16 AM
I think you should liveblog an Emergent conference. Of course, they probably wouldn’t like that, but I would. :)
17. Tim Challies
August 21, 2006
11:31 AM
Ochuk - I’d actually love to. I wouldn’t even go in there with guns blazing and looking for trouble. I’d just want to see it and experience it for myself.
18. Peter Foxwell
August 22, 2006
2:03 PM
Tim: please continue liveblogging. I have no budget for conferences and rely on mp3s and blogs and your liveblogging for reports from the conferences.
I read your stuff and decide whether to buy the mp3s. Also, I used your outline of one of the Worship 06 sermons as a resource for my own sermon on worship.
Thanks for all you do.