Some time ago I had a cup of coffee with a reader of my blog who happens to live quite near me. (We've repeated it more than once. He's a neat brother in Christ and I enjoy the conversations.) He blogs, too, and during this conversation he shared with me that he had a hard time determining his target audience.
Now, I have to be honest. I hadn't spent a great deal of time thinking about exactly to whom I was writing. But his words keep echoing around in my head. Some of the lengthy dialogues I've had with some commenters has forced me to think it through even further. To whom am I writing? Now, I'm not suggesting that this would limit my readership. However, if I could pin down my target audience, perhaps it would help my readers understand me better. You know, something like this: "Well, I don't agree with his view, but I know he's writing to a different audience than me, so I shouldn't be surprised that we don't agree." Something like that.
So I finally have a grasp on who my target audience is. I have vague hopes that anyone can read what I write, understand it, and benefit from it. That, of course, is vague. But when I write, there really is, in the back of my head, a small audience in mind. It's not just "Christians" in general. I'm thinking of a select group of people who share certain values and beliefs. I aim what I write at people who believe in a core set of values that includes the belief that the Bible really is the Word of God, inerrant, the sole source on matters of faith and practice. When I write I don't think in terms of convincing people who do not think that is true. I think in terms of people who agree and might have missed "this" or "that" possible truth therein. I write from this perspective: "You and I agree that God breathed the words of Scripture in such a way that they are true, without error. You and I agree that we need to live our lives in accordance with those words. So ... I wonder if you've ever seen this?"
Like I said, anyone is free to read. I think I've made that abundantly clear. But maybe, just maybe, those of you who read my blog and don't agree with that basic set of beliefs can begin to understand why you don't agree with me at times. It might change your questions. Hopefully it will improve your understanding. Well, I can hope, can't I?
4 comments:
I, for one, very much enjoy your posts and receive them as they are written about a book that I hold to be, as you described, the very foundation on which to build my life. I love your gentleness, even with those who disagree with you.
Though I enjoy a robust debate with points well made, I must confess, I pretty much don’t read the arguments. For me, words mean things. Using words to argue the contrary is as illogical to me as pushing the same bus on which one rides. Lace that with what appears to me to be a kind of pent up political hostility, and it degenerates even further.
I think your blog is unique in that it deals with life from a Biblical perspective in a anthropocentric culture in a non-anthropocentric way. To perhaps put it more poetically, you slip the surly bonds of anthropocentricity.
This from the guy that got me to think about it. :)
And, look! You've been reading it and picking words like "anthropocentric". Nice!
Thanks.
I look forward to the next coffee break. (I always come away with good stuff.)
Oh, just wanted to let you know that I finally determined who my audience was... Nobody.
Well, if "nobody" is your audience, then you're missing the mark because there seems to be quite a few of us that like what you write.
Oh ... wait ... I get it ... we're nobody. :)
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