How do you handle the volume of material on SI

I first came to SI for the old writings and then discovered the forum. At first I was excited to find a group of likeminded people who enjoyed sharing thoughts. I've never been able to read all the posts, but I tried pretty hard to read as many as I could. Then there was the replying to the ones that struck a common chord.

I have come to believe there is almost too much thought expressed. There is so much, it can't all be treated with the respect it deserves.

When the format changed and the number of pages for each catagory started showing up at the bottom of each page, I ventured back to the behinning of a few catagories. It was much purer and simpler back then.

I used to just blow by most long posts because I couldn't read them all. It was hard enough to read all the short ones.

Lately I have been printing them and reading them in my leisure. Ispecially enjoy printing the text versions of the sermons, studying them and then posting a thought about them.

I for one have been posting much less and taking more advantage of the material that this site is committed to providing. As good as the forum can be, it can also be a distraction. I think I had let it become so for me.

i agree with this sentiment. it is an even larger challenge if you do not have internet and can only get on a few times a week. i have yet to even explore the depths of material on this site. that is what makes it difficult for me to try "new" things because when I find someone i like, i stick with them (in my case, paul washer). i don't want to waste my time on something that i don't understand.

as to the forum. i just check what is current. if it isn't on the front page, i don't normally look unless i want to follow up on a thread i had been interested in before.

I tend to handle the material by downloading & reviewing later too
(by way of burning a sermon to CD in itunes or printing a text pdf for reading off screen)

But often I find myself sharping the ol' axe (too much) rather than laying the iron to the root...

MJones, I pretty much feel the same way. I have had a few ideas I have not shared yet.

1. I or someone could create an external blog that would only link to or highlight the "best" posts on SI. (Naturally, this would be subjective, but some general criteria would be kept to.)

2. Ask the moderators to create a new forum area where they would highlight and post threads. Like a "must read" recommendation like they do a "must listen". It would be interesting first to know if Ron's thread on the church would have been included or not. Maybe this could be broken down further.

3. Create a team of SI regulars who post threads that they feel are "must reads" to a single thread started for this purpose.

There are probably better suggestions. Personally, I would like to see an external blog that would cut the material down to about 5%. Perhaps there can be a level of 1, 2, 3 so people can see more or less. It requires a lot of human effort to do this and probably needs to be organized. Someone (or some group) needs to read most of the posts and listen to a number of messages and read articles in order to recommend a select few.

good ideas, but some of the absolutely best post in my opinion has maybe one or two replys. There are others very good long threads very worth to be read and reread, if one has very limited time it can be hard to find i guess. But if playing around with the search function and searching through the threads from the beginning is a good idea, i have found some very good gems hidden deep down from the early SI years.

But a thread with the title "my favorites from SI" where everyone can give a contribution can be very good, i know there has been several in the past "top ten" sermons or threads alike.

I have some in the back of my head and if i remember i will dig some out.

The best thing to do is to pray before you select which treads you partake of. That way the Lord will direct which ones He would have you to view. Then what you see, and what you say, can be used for His purposes.

I agree with the praying suggestion. If I prayed and the Lord told me not to read any threads, would I listen? Would the Lord find someone who would?

I have to guess that a thread "favorites from SI" would fill up faster than a thimble in a downpour. There would need to be some type of oversight or just a few people to execute it. Like hmmhmm said, it might make sense to have one area for "short" posts, and another area for discussion threads. I have found a few of both I really like.

I have often thought that allowing a certain number of people to select and post one thread per week or every ten days or something would be a good way to narrow the view. Maybe I will organize something down the road when I get a bit of time.