We have the benefit of very gifted staff at integrity church. The staff team consists of three servant minded interns and Pastor Ben. Our interns: Tyler Poythress, Jake Sherron, and Mitzi Polachak work hard to make things run smoothly. Click on their names and learn a little bit about them.

Everything on our planet has gone viral. There is facebook, twitter, and it seems everyone has a blog. In today's culture you can keep track of everyone, check your bank account and even take a virtual tour of a one million dollar home in Monaco, all from your phone.

Blog's have taken over the internet. I think the remaining five people who don't have a blog tightly cling to that fact as an award. What I mean to say is: those people have rejected the idea of doing a blog, do so based on the fact that they don't want to get caught up in cultural trends. Their is something gratifying about rejecting mainstream trends and views just for the sake of being different. In addition, I think people tend to fear the fact that blogs are on the internet. The "Internet" tends to be feared because it could be used as a type of virtual window for a peeping-tom prying into their private life. The benefits of blogging tend to far and away overcome any possible negative. To be honest, this blog will probably become more beneficial to those who write it than to those who read it. Regardless, a blog is beneficial. 

John Piper wrote an article on why Pastor's should blog which I think expresses the heart behind this blog. That is to have Pastor Ben and others within our church body use this blog to: write, teach, recommend, interact, develop an eye for what is meaningful, and to be known. 

1. to write: 'if we strive to write well, we will also strive to think well'. 

2. to teach: a blog provides an excellent place to communicate truth's in scripture in a more bite-sized format. not every truth needs to take an hour sermon on Sunday.

3. to recommend: blog's are great places to recommend things like books, movies, restaurants, ideas, . . . etc. .

4. to interact: blog's become great places to hear from others and dialogue on what has been written.

5. to develop an eye for what is meaningful: blog's "nurture the habit of looking for wisdom and insight and value in every situation, no matter how mundane."

6. to be known: a blog provides a way for people to know you. everyone wears different hats like husband, father, son, business owner, rock climber . . . etc. we all have different layers to us. it's good to share life with one another.

How will a 'church blog' work?
Our hope is to have Pastor Ben and others from our church body write entries. These entries will vary in focus. Some may simply be about a hilarious trip to Wal-Mart {be known}. Others may be about what they have been learning in scripture to answering challenging questions in scripture {teach and interact}. Some may be simple reviews of films or books {recommend}. Or, an entry could be about how we see God in the simple things of life {develop an eye for what is meaningful}. We want this to be a living and active journal of what's happening in our hearts and lives as a church body. Enjoy!

- Craig {the blog-master}