It has been quite a summer. Sometimes we get so busy with life that we tend to neglect things that don’t seem as relevant to us at the moment.  I must apologize because I do believe that keeping updated on my design blog is important.

These past couple months I have went through some health battles,  started working for a radio station, updated my commercial website, and helped plan and celebrate my parents 50th anniversary.

With all that has happened, it would be easy to excuse not updating my blog and design website, but when we do that, we get caught in the trap of rationalization and before we know it, not only days have passed, but weeks, months, sometimes years. It is hard to catch up, and so rather than deal  with it, we just seem to forget it.

A lot of ministry websites are in serious need of updating. Some need completely redesigned. I have covered this topic before, but it bears repeating. It is one aspect of ministry that can be forgotten, but it is very important.

UPDATE YOUR LINKS!

Recently, I went to a website to check out their live stream video of a conference and while I enjoyed the services immensely, I was distracted a bit, because it was hard to find which link to click. Someone had taken the time to link to the videos, but they had forgotten to place those links on the front page of their website. Overall their website was decent, but its very important to make sure links work and are in proper places for people to be able to find them.

Your ministry website reaches places you might never be able to go. World wide, you may be touching souls, but if it is a difficult search to find where your message is, chances are they will give up looking. Its just a fact of life. We are willing to search, but many of us don’t dig too deep.

A FEW SUGGESTIONS

If your website is more than ten years old, chances are you need a new website or at least a redesign. Truthfully, if you have a website five years old, its probably only accessible to a few people.  Just as we update our wardrobe when it no longer fits, it is important to update the way people contact us. Our world is forever changing.

Here are a few suggestions for areas to update on your ministry website, that would not be too hard.

• DOMAIN If your domain is not reflect your current church name, then it needs to be changed. Many churches by a domain name once, and then change the name of their church, or their pastor, or have a domain that is not easy to remember. You can update your website simply by changing to a name that is easier to remember and more appropriate to your website. (You can keep your current domain pointed to the new one, just for the few stragglers that don’t like change.0
• TWITTER If you haven’t heard of Twitter by now, then perhaps the internet is not available in your area. And you probably do not have a cell phone. However, Twitter is a valuable asset for your ministry.  Your current church members can receive important updates, your church schedule,  special speakers,  and other information on their cell phones, Facebook, or own Twitter pages simply from you sending out one small 140 character paragraph. And, it can be embedded in your website to keep it up to date.
• PHOTOGRAPHS One of the areas churches really lack in, is updating the photos on their sites. Sometimes, the photo they have of the pastor is more than five years old, and you might even still have the former pastor’s photo on the page. Very important that people who visit your church are not greeted by someone that doesn’t match what is on your website. (PS. New Visitors will check out your website, before they ever step foot in your sanctuary.)
• CALENDAR It seems obvious, but many churches update their calendars for hand out, or in their announcements, but forget to keep it updated on their website. (While a calendar on your website might not seem important, it is a way for visitors to know that a special even is happening, or this coming Sunday we will be meeting at the park, or a concert is planned for this Tuesday.)
• VIDEO While it used to be very difficult or expensive to include video on your website, it has become relatively easy. Everyone knows about YouTube, and other websites that allow you to upload video to share with others. It is available on cell phones, Ipad, or on the web, and can be embedded directly in your website. it is a very accepted practice, and can help make your website more user friendly and approachable.

Today on a ministry website, I came across the following video. It was very stirring to me, and I hope it blesses you as well. GBU

Today, I have decided to depart a bit from my usual design, social media, technology postings to write about a subject that has been been on my mind the last few days. It was made even more apparent today, so I decided to go ahead and put it out there in my own words..

Most of us grew up either reading the classic Charles Dickens novel, or even watching a variation of A Christmas Carol. The story has been made into lots of movies, including Christian themes, and even with Mickey Mouse.

There might be a few people who haven’t heard of it, but at this time of year it is a fixture. But do we really know the man behind the story? As Paul Harvey used to say, this is the rest of the story.

The main character is Ebenezer Scrooge.  His name has become synonymous with people who pinch pennies as well as people who do not get into a holiday spirit at Christmas time.  We are very quick to judge those who do not seem in a jolly mood as being a ‘scrooge,’ even if we do not know the underlying cause for their lack of enthusiasm.

Some might even blame it on depression or other mental health reasons, but did you ever stop and think there could be a reason for the discouragement, lack of excitement, or even the  lack of free willing generosity of some?

Times Are Hard

Even in the storyline, Dickens wrote about the economic hardship of many much similar to what we are facing today. There was not a lot to go around, and yet people were doing the best they could to survive without help. Wages were down, and  the lifestyle at the time was very diminished. People did not live on credit like we do today, but actually paid for what they used or consumed. In that respect, maybe in some ways it was a better time because they weren’t obsessed with wanting and they didn’t run up huge debt.

However, it is assumed by the storyline that Scrooge is a banker. He loaned money and expected a return on his money.  And for the most part, because of his job, we assume he was a very greedy, selfish man.  He does make his employee work hard, that is without doubt, but as the story unfolds we only think of him as a rude, uncaring individual, and even though his life is displayed before us, somehow we seem to neglect that part.

It is easy to judge people based on what we see, or what stands out in our mind, but we don’t even try to understand how they got that way.

What About Poor Scrooge?

The story talks much about how he keeps to himself, doesn’t really have any visitors, and misses a friend who is no longer around. However, much of what we focus on is what he doesn’t give to others.

Men come to ask him to help out with donations and he turns them down. The assumption from almost everyone is he wants to be alone, doesn’t care about others, and in general is a bitter old man without cause.

Usually missed in the story he gives Bob Cratchit Christmas day off with pay. It seems if you take a step back that people are always asking for something but never giving back in return.  You ever treat anyone like that?

We focus on his attitude and bitterness, but we really do not look deeper into his life to see how he got that way. Maybe if we did, even our attitude toward others who are hurting might change.

Misunderstanding

Underlying the entire story, but missed by most, is that Scrooge is hurting, and yet only Cratchit extends any sort of kindness to him. How do you think you would feel if seemingly everyone treated you that way? Only taking, never giving back.

We see their loneliness, their discouragement, but instead of extending a hand, we only talk to them when we need something. Or rather when we want something they can provide. We don’t ask them why, or try and understand how they got the way they did.

Scrooge was no different. It is in the story, but we miss it.

The Beginning Of Disappointment

As a young boy, Ebenezer Scrooge was sent to a boarding school away from his family. In fact, he doesn’t even get to go home for Christmas. His father, in a sense is willing to pay the school fees but not willing to spend any time with his son.  Over time this would greatly affect anyone. He wasn’t used to spending time with others, because even his own family ‘rejected’ him.

Scrooge works hard to become  self sufficient and take care of himself,  but  most see that as him being a miser, unwilling to share his hard earned money. He does have a low opinion of the poor, but mostly because he believes if I did it, they can.

Because he feels he must prepare for the future, he works more than he should. He must have had some kindness in him because he does get engaged to Belle.

However, she walks away when again he retreats into his work, maybe to make sure she is well taken care of, but instead she sees it as rejection and walks away. 

We don’t know for sure if she was demanding or not, but lost in the story is the possibility he only wanted to care for her like she deserved, and not having been raised in a family that cared, he has a hard time identifying with that.  So, of course he becomes more disengaged and reclusive. Rejected by his father who blames him for his mother’s death, (she died in childbirth, so he never got her love either)  and his fiancée whom he tried to love walks away too. Giving the same circumstance, what would you do?

The Change

Toward the end of the story, Scrooge is visited by a spirit giving him glimpses of his future. He dies alone. Even after his death, people talk bad about him.

He has become so reclusive, keeping everything he makes, not willing to give back and dies without kindness.

However, he takes it upon himself to change the story. He takes charge and takes back some happiness, and we have a good positive ending.

But I find myself wondering, what if someone other than Bob Cratchit had extended him kindness, came around to visit, tried to be understanding of his situation, would the story have been even better?

We get so busy focusing on what seems to be missing from the life of Scrooge, we neglect to look at those who helped to form his demeanor.

Blamed for the hardship of others, even the death of his mother. Misunderstood by the girl he loved, those who would come around only wanted his money, how did they expect him to act?

How About Our Attitude?

In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about being sick and no one visiting; being hungry and no one feeding him; being thirsty and no one giving him a drink.

It is easy to get caught up in our own lives and I understand that. However, are we just as guilty as those who treated Scrooge wrongly? Do we extend our hand to the hurting? Do we visit the sick? Do we try and understand what they are going through? Or do we not take a second thought about it, unless we need something from them?

In taking a look at A Christmas Carol, we focus so much on Scrooge’s behavior, we miss the behavior of those who made him who he was. He gets the blame, even though in the end, his attitude changes.

How about yours?

Do you only take but not give back? Do you forget that the one that is no longer with you is possibly hurting? Do you know the story behind what they are going through? Do you visit them when they are sick?

Or do you walk away like Scrooge’s father and fiancée?

How much would it cost us to give someone a call? Or even go visit them? Do you put money in the red buckets at the entry to most stores?  Do you hurry past them or even those begging beside the road to go get ‘what you need?’ Are they deserving of just being cast aside?

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  Matthew 25:42-45

Challenge

I challenge you this Christmas to make a change. Instead of just ignoring that Christmas card in the mail, send them one back with a letter, or give them a call. Reach out to someone who might be lonely and invite them to lunch, or at least church. 

Give a little bit extra to those who are collecting for a charity, or take some food to someone who might be hungry. And especially if someone gives you a gift, even if you cannot afford to give one back, show some gratitude. It could be you being Ebenezer next year.

This past week there has been a multitude of news stories both online and on major media about Tim Tebow. It hasn’t been just about his achievements on the field lately, but rather most of the articles or broadcasts focused on the fact that he kneels to pray and give thanks to God.

The way Tim kneels down on the sideline has become such a phenomenon that he has been emulated all over the world.

Tebowing

In school hallways, sporting events, on desert sands, and more there have been people who have kneeled down similar to Tim Tebow does in games. Are they giving thanks to God? Mocking? Or is it just a fad or a salute to the man for what he has accomplished lately?

I really do not know.

Let me set the record straight. I am a diehard Denver Broncos fan. I have been since before Elway. I have jerseys, signed trading cards, and random trinkets of the Broncos. In good times or bad I am a fan. So, it doesn’t hurt my feelings that Tebow has played as well as he has. In fact, I am thrilled.

However, this act of ‘Tebowing’ has caught on so  much there is an actual website called, Tebowing.com. People from all over the world have submitted photos of themselves or others kneeling down in the pose.

Good thing? I don’t know. Are they giving glory to God? Not sure.

Tim Tebow does seem to be a good guy. He seems true to his faith, he is involved in charity, he is a good football player and team leader.

And he has done amazing the last several weeks pushing the Denver Broncos to victory in the fourth quarter.  In fact, they are behind right now, it is the fourth quarter, and he has just ran in for a touchdown. Will he win again? I am not sure.

Fourth Quarter Again

As I have mentioned, somehow they have been pulling it off in the last moments of the game to win.  There have been many images and video posted of Tim kneeling on the sidelines, eyes closed, alone with his thoughts or prayers.

Many have remarked of the miracle of coming from behind and managing to win anyhow. Last week seemed to be a miracle. They won the game in the last few minutes after having been beaten it seemed.  And most gave credit to Tebow, but some actually gave credit to God. Yes, that God.  They took it upon themselves to say God must have been helping the Broncos win.  In the last few moments of the game, somehow God helps us win the victory. Amazing how familiar that sounds?

Most of us treat God the same way, even if we don’t admit it.

Our Fourth Quarter Miracles

We preach it from our pulpits. ‘Hang on, endure, your promise is coming, He will come through!,’ the words have become our anthem.  From our music, to our teaching, to our brochures, and our fired up shouting, we proclaim that if we can hang on long enough God will hear us.  We just have to keep keeping on.

Ever hear that? Sure you have. We all have if we have any sort of Christian background, let alone apostolic.  We have become accustomed to God coming through in the last moments of life, or in meeting our need.

WHY?

Why does God seem to come through in the last few moments before it is too late? Does He somehow enjoy our stress and pain?  Does He not understand what we are going through?  I mean how could He allow us to go through so many trials and struggles?

Did He not say, ‘I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. I am God, and there is none beside me. Is anything to hard for God?’ We are talking about the creator of the Universe. The One who is omnipresent, omniscient, all powerful God.

The God of Jericho, the Red Sea, that spoke by fire for Elijah, walked on water, raised Lazarus. That same God, who came to earth as a baby robed in flesh to later die for our sins. Jesus.  The I AM. All power in heaven and earth was given unto Him. And He is coming back for us.

That God!

Why does he let us stew in our troubles, let innocents die at the hands of horrible actions, doesn’t  He answer our need? Or if He does, why did he wait so long? Is He really the God of the fourth quarter comeback? Just in time? An on-time God?

Yes, He is those things, but we have become so complacent, so disrespectful, so ungrateful, yet we expect Him to come through and drag us out of our problems.

Does He not have the ability to answer and deliver in the beginning? In the middle? To even stop the trial or situation from happening? Yes!

The problem is us!

He wins from the beginning, if we follow His plan. And when He wins, we win! He told us exactly how to win. We just get so caught up in trying to figure it all out. We forget to let Him be in charge at the beginning, or we get so excited at the little  successes that we assume it will keep going that way, and we let down on our praise, gratitude, and even think we are the ones doing it. And then we lose.

We preach it from our pulpits how God will answer prayer, and then we try to figure out how he will do it. And when he doesn’t do it our way, our time, our… we give up, whine, murmur, complain, get depressed, and get angry at Him.

The fix is pretty simple really:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Quit making Him be a come from behind, fourth quarter God. Let Him lead from the beginning, listen and follow His way. Win from the beginning.

How is this about Christmas?

Yes, I realize this doesn’t seem like a Christmas message, but it is. He came to earth, born in a manger as a baby because He knew the troubles of life. He came to rescue us once again, and even more, take us to be with Him always. Only problem is we have to put Him in our game, or we can’t win. 

This year for Christmas give Jesus something back. Give Him the gift of gratitude, praise, and love.  He’s been good all year… well always.

Oh, and by the way, today Denver lost.  I wonder what the media will say about this next week?

It is that time of year again.The stores are filled with candy eggs, chocolate bunnies, and marshmallow chicks.

My favorite of the candies is the Mini Robin’s Eggs which are actually egg-shaped candy coated Whoppers, and since this is the only time of the year they are available, I generally always indulge myself, at least some.

Kids and parents alike get excited about the idea of hunting brightly-colored real, and plastic eggs in hopes of filling their Easter baskets. Faces will shine with happiness as they tear into a chocolate bunny ear, or perhaps enjoy the sparkle of the colored jelly beans.

Generally families get together on Easter Sunday for some sort of meal, and most everyone goes to church, out of habit, but do they really understand the depth of meaning behind Easter exists.

This year in some parts of the country the whole idea of celebrating Christ's crucifixion and resurrection is such an offensive idea, that they want to change even the name of the Easter Eggs to “spring spheres". I am not exactly sure what they intend to call the Easter Bunny?

Sure, I realize that hunting colored eggs, shopping for marshmallow chicks, and the enjoyment of biting the head off that chocolate bunny is not the reason for the season, but the whole idea of Christianity being involved at all, even when it is not specifically mentioned is too much to stomach for those who want to dismiss Christ as nothing more than a myth.

PALM SUNDAY

This Sunday is called Palm Sunday, which signifies the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowd met him with cheers and the waving of palm branches as he entered. It may have been the only time where Jesus was actually praised in person for what he had done. I am sure many believed he was going to take them out of the captivity of the Roman empire.

Perhaps, it is some of the reason that the priests became afraid and decided to intervene, but to me the whole idea that he was surrounded by crowds lifting him up and less than a week later, he was hanging on a cross, the crowd mocking him? So easily he went from their hero, their healer, their savior to acting like what he did was nothing. Even his own followers said they didn’t know him.

CRUCIFY HIM!

As surely as he was their king, he also became the people quickly turned on him and by the end of the week he was hung upon the cross to die. He was not of this world, and therefore the world turned on Him.

Sometimes we can be faced with situations that are beyond our comprehension. It can seem that even those who were once our friends become our enemies when they are faced with the fact that being Christian means living the life. It isn’t just about the name on the door, but the life that we live. Some will even hate us because we do not live the life they do.

It has been over 2000 years and there are some who are still trying to remove Christ from the world. They will never succeed, but they hate Him so much because he challenges their lifestyle, deeds, and sin.  It is not that He comes out and tells them what is wrong, but He makes them take a look in the mirror and they realize who they are.

John 15:19 says, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

REMEMBER

Before the world hated you, they hated Him. Because He chose you, they will hate you as well. It should be an honor to be hated for His name sake. See the thing is, even though they hated Jesus, they could not have taken His life. He willing gave it on Calvary for our sins.

There would be no Easter if He had not died. Yes, we celebrate because He did rise out of the grave, but in order to rise He had to die. We too have to die to live. We must die out to our old man. We must rise from the pit we were in and walk new in order to join Him, knowing that His mercy covered it all.

So, when you take a bite out of that bunny, remember. Remember, there would be no Easter Bunny, no colored eggs, but most importantly, no salvation had there not been a cross on a hill where Jesus died.

FREE TWITTER BACKGROUND

In honor of Easter I have included a FREE downloadable Twitter page for anyone who is interested. The dimensions are 1216 x 983 pixels.

DOWNLOAD

• jpg version
• png version (higher quality)

If you would like a custom twitter background for your page, church or ministry, or if you have other graphic design or website needs please contact us!

This past week the words to “The Master of the Wind” have kept running over and over in my head. Even when I slept it was as if I could still hear someone singing it and as soon as I was awake, it was on my mind again.

To some that might seem odd when everywhere we go right now there is nothing but Christmas music. In the malls,  and even in the grocery stores, the speaker systems blare out their versions of Christmas trying to get us to spend more time and money before we leave their store. Most places we hear the familiar “Jingle Bells”, “Here Comes Santa Clause”, or some jazzed up version of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” A few places my opt for more christian themed music, but those songs are not so loud or impulsive and may not get us to buy so they don’t play them so much.

Today, I ran across a link on one of my usual social media and design blogs that I read nearly every day and it was entitled “9 Ways to Connect With Santa on the Web.”  While that seems harmless enough, and even on Facebook the last few days a few apostolic friends have posted photos of their children, grandchildren, sometimes even themselves, sitting on Santa’s lap.

Yes, most of us know that Santa isn’t real, and its about the spirit of giving, and we only do this because the children are small, and any number of other excuses we tell ourselves. Yet, in this day of iPads, iPhones, Android Tablets, and other technological marvels, about the only mentions of Christianity is from YouTube, and even most of those have to do with Baby Jesus and Mary. Sure, we can see around town,online. and maybe on television somewhere, nativity scenes, camels, and wise men. But most of it is about hurry up and spend your hard earned dollars here, or Santa, Frosty, Rudolph, or some Christmas fantasy romance thing.

Where is Jesus?

Sure, he is present as a baby in a manger in some forms, but they are even trying to stop that. This year there was a lot of news articles about even changing the traditional Merry Christmas greeting to Happy Holidays instead, so as to not offend those who aren't Christian. They want to take Christ out of Christmas. And the sad thing is, we help them do it.

No, I am not saying we should stop buying gifts for each other, or shopping at this time of year, putting up a Christmas tree, or even going to see Santa. I don’t think we should shun the traditions of Christmas and act holier than thou. However, a big part of the problem is that we don’t proclaim Him as much as we should. I don’t think we intentionally hide him from those we work, play, or hang out with, but many times the message is hidden and only is open for discussion and worship in our churches.

We used to knock doors, hand out tracts, and even have the occasional service in the park or on a street corner. Yet, now, most of us don’t even share what we believe online. Facebook has opened all kinds of doors for many of us to reconnect with those from our youth and with new people all around the globe and yet many play games online instead of telling who they are and what they believe. Sharing  online really isn't that hard, and many tell us things that we wish we never knew about. We certainly didn’t need to know how many times a day someone changes their baby's diaper, but some people post that. Not really sure why they do but they do. Some people post where they are going to be at even given moment from the places they eat, to where they shop, play, and sometimes even photos of what they are eating or doing. Yet, where is Jesus?

Is He Still Just A Baby In Our Minds?

For many of us, God has done miraculous things and we should be eager to share it. Yet, here it is Christmas again and we are sending out cards, wrapping presents, getting ready to travel, and somehow he gets lost in the mix.

“I know the master of the wind. I know the maker of the rain. He can calm a storm, make the sun to shine again. I know the master of the wind.” Very powerful words. Those words were a reference to the disciples on the sea when a storm hit and fear entered in and they were afraid they were going to die. Jesus was there, he was just resting, and even though he was with them, he wasn’t WITH them.  At least not in their eyes. They didn’t see him as the healer, deliverer, or anointed one. Even though they had seen the miracles, in the time of the storm they forgot who he was and what he could do. He wasn’t a baby anymore. He was their strength, and yet, he was hidden away and wasn’t in their thoughts. They would have been lousy at that moment at being a witness. Had their been non-believers on the boat, they wouldn’t have believed in Jesus. There was no assurance that it was going to be okay since he was in the boat. They forgot for a moment who he was.

We all do that. At Christmas and Easter, he is on a lot of people’s minds, even those who do not believe in him. The rest of the time he is either a baby in a manger, an image on a crucifix, a swear word, or a reason for controversy. They don’t really know him.

Where is Jesus?

I mentioned earlier about the article, “9 Ways to Connect With Santa Online.” My question is where do we connect with Jesus?

Did you know that 8 out of 10 people spend at least two hours a day online, and most of us spend closer to five hours online. That could be through use of smart phones, computers, or other devices but five hours a day.

There are more than half a billion people on Facebook, and most of them know Jesus as simply a Christmas Baby or the man hanging on the cross at Easter. They don’t know him as the master of the wind. When they face trials and tests, they run to their friends, their alcohol, their drugs. They do not know how to connect with him. Why is that?

Where is the message?

On average, only one third of churches have an online presence. That is all churches and ministries, every faith, every belief. If we take that down to Apostolic or Pentecostal churches and ministries, the number drops significantly.

Recent studies show that only one out of fifty Apostolic or Pentecostal churches in America has any kind of presence online. When you compare that to how many people are online, even in our own churches, the number is staggering about how easily the message is getting lost.

And of those ministries who are online, most of them have used some sort of free website that cannot be found in search engines, and almost none of them have a page on Facebook.

Try this. Go to Google or Yahoo, the two most popular used search engines and type in “church” and the “name of your city.”

Is your church on the first page? Is it even listed?

Most churches and ministries that believe the message of salvation and baptism in Jesus name are not online. We preach we have the message. We preach about the revivals that God has promised. And yet, we somehow expect our pews to be full of people wanting the truth but we don’t reach them where they are.

Reach Them

If we do not go to them who will? How will they connect with Jesus, if we keep the message in our sanctuary and do not go tell them. Yes, many of us still tell our family, maybe our friends, and those who are hurting that we will pray for them. But do we tell them how to find him? Most of us are not even listed in the local newspaper and generally that is a free listing. How will they find him if they don’t know where to go? Jesus said go to into the highways and byways and compel them that my house might be full. The internet IS the information super highway. It reaches into homes, businesses, and even  phones, around the world. Nearly everyone has access to the internet, or knows someone who does. My mother just a little bit ago called me up to ask me what the weather is like in a certain town. She knows I can find out, online. She is even planning to take classes at the senior center in town because she knows if you are not online you are lost in the crowd.

Yet, somehow our message isn't there? Oh sure, it is there in the bigger churches, the well known ministries, but most churches either think it is too expensive or they just simply haven’t tried.

It really isn’t that hard to spread the message online. You don’t need a big budget. You do not have to be like the big boys and spend lots of money for online video streaming. Did you know that you can record your messages to audio and share it online free? It isn’t just about a way for those who decide to sleep in to have church. There are millions, even billions of people who haven’t heard that Jesus is not a baby in a manger.

Need Help?

In just a few days it will be a new year. Isn't it time your ministry was online?

Apostolicvision Design Services was created to help churches and ministries have an online presence, affordably. There are options for every budget. Contact us, and we can even tell you about many things available that are free of charge to spread the message of salvation online.

We are also on Facebook. “Like’ apostolicvision design services on Facebook and receive a discount on all graphic design services.

Connect them with Jesus

Isn't it time they know Why its Christmas? Isn’t it time the focus was back on Christ? Without a vision the people perish. Have a Merry Christmas!

If you haven’t heard of Twitter by now, come out of the cave and into the sunlight.

According to recent Twitter statistics, there are 160 million people on Twitter. With 370,000 new people joining each day, the likelihood is that almost everyone you meet is already on there.

If not, you can pretty sure guarantee that the majority of your church 40 years and younger is active on Twitter, either by cell phone, website, or some other application on the internet.

Is it for your ministry?

Yes, it can be. Your ministry or church can keep your members, friends, and even new prospects up to date with happenings in your ministry with a ministry Twitter account.

Special events or announcements, prayer requests, scheduling changes, special offers on CDs, or books, and many more uses to numerable to mention are available to all of us through 140 characters on Twitter.

You can also update your website or Facebook page at the same instant either by the Twitter page, an email or text, or even with applications that are available to most cell phones. Share photos, share links to other sites or events, share your burden, free and easy. It can definitely benefit your ministry.

However, there are a few suggestions or guidelines I would make in having a Twitter account for your ministry.

The Basics

I cannot stress this enough. Have a separate account for your ministry than you do for your family and personal thoughts.

Too many times between family and friends we may say things, that will have an effect on other’s perception of our character. We may not even do it intentionally, but sometimes, things are said that we did not mean, or we may accidentally post a link to some site, and have it wrong or there could be something on part of the page, and people may get the wrong idea.

Keep your ministry and your personal life separate.

That being said here are a few more tips:

• Don’t make claims you cannot back up. It will be on the internet forever.
• Do not post photos that you wouldn't want someone to see. Again, it is online forever.
• Don’t become all holy on Twitter. Be who you are all the time, not just show how righteous you are online. People will find out you are a hypocrite.
• Focus on sending tweets that are vital. Do not ‘forward’ or ‘retweet’ every kitty link that comes your way. People will stop following you.
• Do not use Twitter to criticize the speaker at a conference. Use it for encouraging, uplifting comments. Remember the person you criticize has a Twitter account too.
• Don’t tweet during your own sermon.
• Remember Twitter is just a tool like many others available to help spread the Truth of God’s word.
• Don’t follow everyone who follows you. You will not be able to keep up with everything everyone says. Ministries should be leaders more than followers.

There are many more tips I could write but I will cover some of those in future blog postings. I may also offer FREE Christian twitter backgrounds, so stay tuned.

A Few Terms

Twitter ID – The name you choose for your profile. Without one, you cannot participate in Twitter.

Tweet – Your message sent out to your followers in only 140 characters. It is also live for anyone to see on your Twitter page unless you change your privacy settings.

ReTweet – (RT) Essentially it is forwarding what someone else has said to your followers. However, the 140 character restriction applies, so it may be hard to add your own take on the saying.

Twitter Page – Your own personal page that will have a small bio, your most current tweets, your lists, and people you follow.

List – You have the option of categorizing your followers by topics. For instance I have lists for friends, networking, designers, church, and other lists. My followers are categorized in the lists in how they relate to me. It can be more than one list, but it helps you keep track of who is who.

Followers – People who have decided to get updates on what you write. You have the option of deciding if they can follow you, and if you want to follow them.

Direct Message – (d) Sending a message direct to one person and bypassing everyone else or your Twitter page. You must be followers of each other for this to work.

@ – You have to use the @(TwitterID) to reply, reference, or otherwise include specific individuals in your tweets.

And…

Since the inception of Twitter, many other words have been crafted using the Tw prefix. Tweeple, TwitPic (for photos), Twittonary, and many more. However, if you start adding Tw to all your words, “Twust me, you will look like an twidiot.” LOL

These are just a few guidelines and tips for using Twitter. If you are looking to make your church website match your Twitter page, or perhaps you just want a custom Twitter background to display the message of salvation, contact us, we can help!