Collin Hansen, the new Editorial Director for the Gospel Coalition, has written a thoughtful post about the interaction of new media and local church ministry. It is easy either to dismiss the new forms of internet media or to overestimate their significance instead of doing the hard work of trying to understand the new dynamics that are emerging between the interplay of real life and online life. As Hansen notes, the lines cannot be neatly and starkly drawn.

A pastor who draws his primary identity from his internet associations is in need of some serious reevaluation of his life and priorities. On the other hand, a pastor who has the ability and opportunity to leverage the new media for kingdom purposes should not underestimate the good that his investment of time and energy can do.

Here is the money quote from Hansen’s article:

God has instituted the local church for our good the the glory of Jesus Christ. He has revealed to us standards of character for Christian leadership. At its biblical best, the church enforces those standards with loving concern that the gospel would sink deeper and deeper into our whole lives, manifested in our words and deeds. We should be concerned that our online voices find that gracious support from their local churches. And our local churches should realize that online leadership is real leadership in a new media age, so they would be wise to identify and encourage the bloggers among them.

Read the whole post here.