I know what you are thinking. A designer talking about paying tithes. Don’t we get enough of this at church?

What exactly does stewardship mean? To many it means paying the bills, keeping up with your tithes and offerings, and basically not throwing money away. However, the true meaning in a nutshell is: Stewardship is using God’s Human Resources with Wisdom.

Okay that sounds a bit confusing to some people. It means taking care of what God has provided and using it to the best of our ability that it might promote His Kingdom.

James 1:22 says, ‘Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.’ That pretty much sums it up for being a steward as well.

So, why am I talking about stewardship on a design blog?

You Asked For It

Wait! We didn’t ask! Sure you did. But how? By not using wisdom in the resources God has given you to build the kingdom. But what are you talking about?

The last few years there has been a lot of changes in our world. Environmentalists talk a lot about saving the environment, global warming, climate change. Let’s get real. They do not care about the world or climate change. They are using it as a gimmick to raise money and have their own agenda become the laws that we live by. They could care less about what really happens to our world.

Even if every American did exactly what they are told: conserve water, reduce emissions, build green, it would do nothing to change the outcome on the global scale. There will still be countries that could care less about what the pollution does to the environment, and they will not cut back on manufacturing, etc.. but I digress…

How does this apply to me? To my stewardship that you claim I am lacking in? I pay my tithes. I provide for my family. And why on a design blog?

Because…

Earlier this morning I tried to go to a website that had been touted on Facebook about having one of my favorite preachers speaking today.  It was difficult to find, even their Facebook page has disappeared. So I searched and google couldn’t find it. What?

Then I went to a district website and found the link to their site. Went to the site, and it said…

We are taking a maintenance break. Please visit back soon!

That is all. No date as to when they expected to be back; No further information as to the reasons behind the break; not even basic information to give an address or phone number to their church. No contact information providing anyone, even sinners, or backsliders, directions to finding the church.

I am shocked and appalled. Not just because I am a web developer, but because I am a Christian who believes that we should always be reaching for souls. Jesus never started up the hill to die on the cross and decided to take a ‘maintenance break.’

Yeah, I know. Sometimes churches really do have to update their sites. And sometimes the person in charge really has no idea what they are doing and it can take time. For me the problem is that I tried to go to this same site almost 9 months ago and at that same time it was taking the same break. So what seems to be the problem?

Failing Stewardship Tests

Trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, I went back to the Facebook page of the church that had posted the information about the preacher being at this church. I went to their About tab, and clicked on the link to their website. They had a link.. cool.

Guess what? They had allowed their hosting to expire and now you go to the hosting site.

The sad part about this, is this was a church I had built a website for previously. It was a smaller church and so I worked them out a very affordable deal. I even did monthly updates to the calendar, added new graphics monthly to the site if they had something special going on, and kept their site looking fresh…for $35 a month. But when the new pastor came in, he told me he felt he was paying too much for a website; that they had people who could do that in the church and keep it updated and more modern, and I had to eat the cost of the site design, and lost a client that I was trying to help spread the message.

And now their domain points to a hosting page and they have no site. Again, another church that is not using the resources they have been given by God to reach their community, and the world. And the thing is, I am very affordable. I make decisions on cost based on what you need, and the size of your congregation. I donate (or you could call it tithing, or good stewardship) to a lot of smaller churches simply because I feel the message is that important.  I am reminded of the parable of the talents, but you should already know that story.. so I will stay on point.

What Are You Doing?

To freshen up my own design skills, many times I browse the web and find other churches and business websites to see what looks good, fresh, current, and would be good and useful for the websites I create for my clients. I want you to be the best and present the message quickly and in the best possible light. We are the light of the world, after all.

I want your site in its ‘Sunday Best!’

It is sad though how many Apostolic or Pentecostal churches do not keep up with their sites. Or they made one in 1999 and have not updated it since, even some with new pastors, and buildings.  I mean come on, you cannot take a few minutes a month to update? Or hire me, or anyone you want, to keep your site updated?

There are such simple ways to do it. Why are we stuck? Or is it that we really do not think its important to reach the lost? Because face it 1 in 10 of your church members might view your website one time a month, but 9 out of 10 who are invited to your church, or feel a hunger for God.. will go to your church website first before they ever darken your door. And if you do not have a website? Or your website is out of date, or on ‘maintenance?’  Let the lost and hungry be lost, I guess?

Do You Need A Makeover?

No, God hasn’t changed. The message hasn’t changed. But we would not go to church wearing dirty underwear, and clothes that have not been washed in six months, would we? Same goes for your church website.

About a 1 1/2 years ago, maybe a bit more I posted about your website needing a makeover, and it still does.. perhaps you can take some time to read it.

Signs It is TIME For A Makeover

If you are ready for a makeover, or need a website for your church, contact us. We are very affordable and we update all the time to give you the best possible tools to reach your community and your world. It is good stewardship.

apostolicvision design services

How To Make The Best Of It

Once again Facebook has changed their website. It seems they do it quite a bit lately, and unfortunately this will not be the last time. It seems from the postings today, that more people are upset about it all this time. There are more changes coming in a week or two as well in part to compensate for the threat that Facebook perceives from google+.

It is frustrating I agree but here is a work around that  may reduce some of your stress.

Take A Deep Breath

First off, let me say I agree with you. For the most part, many of the changes do not help anyone. Well, that is not entirely true. This is part of a grander marketing scheme to make more money by those behind Facebook. Whether it is about competition with google or not, simply put Facebook is not in this for your enjoyment, but like all websites online, it is about making money.  They want the market share of your attention which makes them more viable for investors.

That said, it really doesn’t do us any good to stress to much about it. So, fret a bit, take a deep breath and move on. This will not be the last change in how your profile looks or how you keep in touch with your friends. In fact, it is likely it will not be the last change this month.

So, it is best to take a deep breath and try to relax.

Unraveling The Mystery

Now, that being taken care of, there is a way to make your Wall and Friends more useful. It isn’t a perfect, but it is better than what you have starting you in the face.

Take a look at the left sidebar.

Right away you will notice it now shows Favorites, Lists, and Groups. If you have any Pages or Apps it will also list those.

Under Favorites it shows:

• Newsfeed
• Events
• Messages

It may show a few more titles. First, you want to go to Lists. Take another deep breath. :)

Lists

Down below that you see Lists. If you hover over Lists, it will show a link that says More. If you click on More, it will open a new page, where Facebook has broken down your friends in groups based on information from their profiles. Facebook assumes this is how you would like everyone grouped. However, it does give the option of creating your own groupings.

You can see some of mine below.

If you click on any one of the list names, Facebook has already added some of your friends to those groups based on your previous information, or your friends profile information. It does make this process a bit faster. But if you want, you can remove them from your lists or add more people to the list.

You can also create new lists and add any of your friends to them.

Notice the pencil to the side of each list. It gives you two options.

• Add To Favorites
• Always Hide

If you click on Always Hide, you will never see information from people in that list in your newsfeed. If you click Add to Favorites, those Lists will show up in your favorites at the top left of your page. It gets better. You can do the same thing with Pages, Apps, & Groups. All of your most important information in the top section.

Rearranging Your Favorites

You should have by now created your lists of friends you most follow. The ones you have marked as Favorites are now listed in your Favorites list. You can go one step further.

Maybe you would like your Favorites in a different order? I did. It is actually fairly simple to do.

If you hover over the different titles in your Favorites, you will again see the pencil. If you click on the pencil it gives too options.

Remove From Favorites

Rearrange

If you do not want an item in your favorites, click Remove and it will no longer be there.

Click Rearrange and you can modify the order the way you would like. Unfortunately, you cannot move the News Feed, but everything else can be moved or removed.

It will then start showing the comments, posts,etc on the different lists you have created and added to your Favorites. Makes it much easier for most people. Just click the link and the group you want to follow most is what you will see. It will stay that way unless you change to another group.

Still Want More?

The News Feed is always going to be on top of the Favorites. It will take some time, but there is another option to what you will see when you sign on to Facebook.

The most recent story by your friends should show up at the top of your News Feed.

On the top story you have several options as to what to do with that story.

• Mark as top story
• Hide Story
• Report story or spam
• Subscribe to All Updates
• Subscribe to Most Updates
• Subscribe to Only Important Updates
• Unsubscribe from status updates, or
• Unsubscribe from Friend

All of these will change what happens with that story and that friend.

On the next story down, you also have options for what you can do with the story.

• Mark it as the top story
• Hide the story
• Report story or spam
• Hide all by that friend

These two options will take time to do, because each story you see will each need to be considered unless you unsubscribe or hide those posts (stories). If you choose that option in time you will no longer see posts from that person or business.

Another Option?

Join google+ It still has a long way to go to be similar, and there are features here that are not yet available on google yet, but it works, and they don’t change every week.

Before you get too excited, guess what? Facebook is adding music features soon. Maybe next week?

I came across a new resource today to teach values, share thoughts about the Bible,and have a little fun with your children. 

Maybe you have heard of it, but it was new to me. It is sponsored by Focus On The Family, and is similar in format and style to Sesame Street & Veggie Tales.

It is called JellyTelly, and from what I have seen the videos teach concepts and values on a child's level but even adults could learn something.

If you click on the image above it will take you to a video about Humility, and who among us cannot use a little more humility?

What is JellyTelly?

JellyTelly is an online destination for families, developed in partnership between Focus on the Family and Phil Vischer’s Jellyfish Labs. As a Bible-based alternative to video and gaming sites, JellyTelly provides families with a safe place to learn and play online.

JellyTelly was developed by the creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Vischer because he felt kids were not grasping everything they were taught in Sunday School because it is only one hour a week in most places, versus all of the other forms of information they would get during the week.

Churches are doing wonderful work with kids – innovative work – but a church will get about an hour with a child on a Sunday morning and then before it sees that child again, that kid on average has watched more than 22 hours of Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel. Is it any wonder that our kids are growing up knowing more about Hannah Montana than about the apostle Paul?

We need to do something about this – half of kids growing up in church in America are walking away from church when they graduate from high school.

We can do something about this by using the same technology that kids are adapting to as they consume media in new ways. JellyTelly is a way to bring the Bible to life for kids on a daily basis, to show them the work of the church around the world and the role they can play in it.

JellyTelly is more than just videos though. There are also craft ideas, games, and other resources available to put Christ and values in front of your kids, and teach Bible stories as well.

It is important that we spend more time with our children. But, lets face it, between our own work and activities, and everything our little ones are involved in, it can be hard to find time and know that they are getting sound ideas and teaching.

A lot of parents turn on the Disney channel, and then wonder where little Jonny learned this or that. But I have to ask you, have you actually watched the Disney channel with them? Sure, there are still some programs that have some educational, or positive messages, but not all are.

What do you think about having your child watch a show where the babysitter is a vampire?  If you turn on the so-called ‘family channel’, children are engaged in sexual activity, drugs, and other non-christian activity.

I realize the world we live in is no longer ‘Leave it to Beaver’ but honestly I would not want my child watching a show where one of the main themes, is about sex and babies.

Losing Our Children

Now I understand that as apostolics we may not agree with all the values of secular Christianity, but the truth of the matter is many times the children in our churches are overlooked.  Yes, most churches still have Sunday School, but even that is changing in a lot of our ministries.

As churches gravitate from a multitude of services to just one on Sunday, sometimes the children's ministries are the first to go. Sunday School is more than a babysitting service offered to our members, but it is a sad fact that many churches and even some pastors treat the ministry as an afterthought, or just a place to stick the children until we are done.

The bible says to ‘train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.’ The sad fact, however, is that in most homes there is no ‘family time’ that isn’t playing video games or watching TV, let alone Bible reading, teaching Bible stories, or even stories with good principles. And schools are so regulated, that even our Christian teachers are limited to what extent they can bring in that God created the world, let alone about Jesus dying on the cross for us. So, if our kids do not get some training at home, we just may lose the next generation.

Use What Is Available

No, letting your child watch JellyTelly will not teach your child everything they need to know about God, values, and our beliefs, but it is better than what they are getting on TV. Plus, it is interactive. Coloring pages, games, and craft activities are also available.

Yes, I know it means spending a little extra time with your children, but shouldn’t you be doing that anyway? And its free, online. Instead of spending all that time updating your Facebook, take a few minutes and let your child watch a message that will uplift, encourage, and teach.

The Macarena, Mello Yello, Silly Putty, and the Edsel. Most of us have heard those words before, but we may not remember what they are. Maybe they are faint memories in our minds, but perhaps we remember them fondly and wonder what happened to the day when it was common.

It wasn’t really that long ago for the Macarena, and yet I am sure if you ask some people today what the Macarena was, they probably think you add cheese or some tomato sauce to it.  It was a song and a dance, or actually hand and body movements.

It was very well known in the late 1990s and even the most sheltered person had heard mention of it, or had done it themselves. But here we are just a few years later, and its not in our minds anymore unless we are part of the few who may look back and smile and try and do it. It is merely a memory for most, and a word for others but they aren't sure what it means. For a few of those words, even the spell check on my computer thought I had misspelled some other word.

Is that how we see the church? Is that how your ministry is thought of?  Does it still have an impact like it used to? I remember when….

Sound familiar?

There was a day when everyone knew where the church was and what they taught. There was a day when many of us were  made fun of and called holy rollers, but when tragedy struck, it was the holy rollers they called for prayer.

We used to knock doors and pass out tracts. Many times we didn’t even advertise in the newspaper because we were active in the community and people knew who we were and where to find us. We were known for all night prayer meetings, joyful singing, sometimes having services where bobby pins were flying, and in almost every church there was that one sister who would wail and moan like a fire engine.

We were the church where everyone secretly wondered about, but  it was so different from every where else they wouldn’t be caught dead in our services. We were outcasts but everyone knew where we were.

Now if you go into just about any city, there isn't an apostolic church or no one knows where it is. Most of us were called Pentecostal then, but now when you mention Pentecostal everyone’s thoughts, including our own,  is about the charismatic churches where they jump, shout, maybe get the holy ghost, but bless God, they are not like we are. Hmmm, same message, same Jesus, maybe even same holy ghost baptism, yet, because we aren’t sure about them, they don’t have the truth. Yet, the people in the community know where that church is, just like they used to know where we were.

Who is there?

When we talk about marketing the ministry, our first instinct is to back away. It sounds like a foreign concept to us, or maybe something that isn’t quite right. We preach soul winning in our churches, but we don’t knock doors, most don’t teach bible studies, and whether or not we admit it, most of us do not testify at work. Oh sure, if someone asks us where we go to church we may tell them, and we may pray for them if we hear of their trials and tragedies, but to actually walk up to a person and talk to them about Jesus? ‘No way! I could lose my job. They might think I am weird.’

The bible likens soul winning to planting a garden, but generally we consider soul winning an individual thing. ‘Its Brother Bebop's job to win people to God, after all he seems to always bring someone.’

However, how many private gardens have you seen where there is only one plant growing? Usually there is several of one type, and its repeated with lots of other plants, flowers,  or vegetables. We produce after our own kind, so I am asking what is in your garden? It is the whole church’s responsibility to plant, water, take care of, and harvest the crops. God never intended one person to do it themselves. The scripture even says, ‘one plants, one waters, and God gives the increase.’ Our churches should be a mixture of all kinds of people in all stages of growth.

However, we have become complacent in our active ‘ministry.’ We are comfortable with just those who seem to know where our church already is. It is just too much effort to actually do something ourselves, and of course, they should all 'look like’ me.

Just today while returning from a trip to the store it was pointed out to me by someone with me that they had seen two groups of Jehovah Witnesses out knocking doors. I saw a couple of guys at someone's door, but honestly whether or not they were JW, Mormon, or someone else I cannot be sure, but I do know they were no one I recognized, so they weren't part of my sphere of Christianity.

We know what ‘our group’ looks like and sadly, we seem to ignore everyone else, even those that used to be a part of us. We make assumptions on their level of godliness based on rumors, our own ideas, and the way they look.

Chances are they don’t even know we are a Christian, let alone where our church is. So what do we do to change that?

Marketing Your Ministry

Marketing seems like such a foreign concept to us. We have all these ideas of what it might be, but when it comes to ministries and churches it is really very simple. A few of the ideas below you might actually recognize.

• Door Knocking – well no one does that anymore
• Bake Sale – not those in the lobby of the church but actually in the community
• Spaghetti Dinner– let them know you are there, even if you are taking up donations for some mission, charity, or celebration
• Car Wash – raise money for youth events instead of taking it from the parents
• Home Bible Study – we preach it but do we do it?
• Advertise in Newspaper, TV, or Radio – we are here to reach the lost right?
• Church website, postcards, prayer request cards, funeral services – you get the idea

This list could go on and on, but to me it is sad that most of us think marketing our ministry is going to cost a lot of money, but most of the above would actually raise money or at least tell people we exist. It is much easier than most of us are willing to admit.

So what really is the problem?

Well if we are honest, it only comes down to one of two reasons. Or perhaps both.

1. We are lazy.
2. We don’t care about souls.

That’s it!

Yes, I work as a graphic designer. I can give you a good deal on a website, printable marketing items for your ministry, helping you create a Facebook presence,  but to me its more than about the few dollars I would receive. It is about the souls and my desire for them to know Jesus like I do.

If you are really interested in seeing more souls saved and what you can do to change the image of your ministry, then contact me and lets have a conversation. Consultations  and quotes are always free. You might be surprised how affordable my services are, but you might also learn that reaching into your community isn't as hard as you thought.

Isn't it time you made an effort in Marketing Your Ministry?

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. Rev. 3:20

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These past couple of weeks have flown by and its already two weeks into a new year. It seems as if days are less than twenty-four hours lately, because there never seems to be enough time to get everything done we need to do.

Christmas has come and went and 2011 is here and yet we get so far behind it seems it will be Christmas again before we catch up on everything. Sometimes, life just gets in the way of our plans. But it is a new year, a new time to reflect on the past, and time to start over and make this year better than the last.

We all do it, at least subconsciously, and yet we never seem to complete the task. What am I talking about? New Year’s resolutions of course. Usually by a couple weeks into the year we have already broken our resolutions at least somewhat.

I started on another blog post about resolutions but it became so large that I have decided to offer it instead as a book. Yes, a real book. I will probably make it available as well in formats suitable for e-book readers, free for a limited time.  I will do my best to keep the costs down in printed format because I truly believe it contains principles that is vital for making ministries grow and blossom into the revival we all want. Stay tuned for that! In fact, bug me about it if you do not hear about it soon. :)

Did You Accomplish All You Wanted in 2010?

I know I didn’t. Not only in my personal life, but in doing things for God that I had made great strides toward. Sometimes, it is difficult looking back over a year and seeing the places we have slipped and the trials and tests that have come our way. Maybe we have lost friends or loved ones, perhaps a job, or maybe even our home.

It can be very gloomy at times to reflect back on the year if things did not work out the way we planned.  I have to admit there were situations that arose in my life last year that, while I did not cause them to happen, hurt me in many ways and really tested my faith. Sometimes our dreams even when we are serving God can come crashing down around us.

We can begin the new year thinking about all that we went through and be sad about it, or we can look at the fact that it is a new year and start again. It is much more productive if we take the lessons we have learned and make this year even better. That is my hope for 2011. I want to accomplish more for God this year and get a fresh outlook on new possibilities in my life rather than being weighed down by the past.

Quit Crying Over Spilled Milk

It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.    

Lamentations 3:22-23

With God, we only have to wait until tomorrow to find new mercies. Isn’t that amazing? There are  situations we find ourselves in where we may have let down our guard or even failed in our walk, and it can be very trying on our mind. But the bible says ‘his mercies are new every morning.’ In a sense he is saying, ‘quit moping about what happened yesterday.’ It is a new day, move on and do better.

The Apostle Paul talked about dying daily. While he did not mean we need to take our life, he meant that the sins or problems we got ourselves into, we need to just repent about it, forgive ourselves, and move on.

I used to have a friend that his wife came to God, but he did not for quite a while. He was a nice guy. He would give the shirt off his back to anyone, and you could always find him doing something to help other people. He seemed like the perfect person to be in church, but the only times he came was for Christmas programs or Easter. Unfortunately, many are like that.

However, he started trying to come more for his little boy and before long he was always there. He would sing the songs, fellowship after church, always go to the altar and pour out his heart to God, but it took a few months before he got the Holy Ghost. He was so excited. He started getting rid of anything in his life that he felt was not pleasing to God.

I sat by him at church camp. It had only been a couple weeks since he prayed through, and you would have thought he had served God his whole life. He whooped, shouted, sang, and danced with the best of them. He was so thrilled that he had God in his life. It was a great thing to see. He even talked some about maybe becoming a preacher in his little town. Whether he meant as a pastor, or just being a witness I do not know.

However, about two weeks after church camp, one of his old friends had lost someone, and was going fishing and he was invited along. He went with the intention of being a comfort and a witness to his friend.

However, out there on the water it was hot and the fish were few and far between, and his friend offered him a beer. Without thinking about it, he drank it. It was what he had always done before he was saved.

He missed church that following Sunday morning but managed to make it to the evening service but it was obvious something was wrong. Over a few short weeks, he stopped coming, him and his wife started having problems in their marriage, and before you knew it, they were separated and the excitement and vigor he had about God was gone.

I spent a lot of time working with him, praying, talking, just hanging out, but it became clear to me after a few weeks that he wasn’t coming back to church. I struggled it with it very hard, and one day after several weeks I asked him why he stopped and he told me about the beer.

I tried to explain to him that he could just ask forgiveness, that no one was going to blame him, but in the end he could not forgive himself. He could not come to terms with the fact that God forgives, even when we struggle to do so ourselves.

His mercies are new every morning!

Too many times we get caught up in a situation that takes us down a path we never intended to go. We can keep on that path knowing that it leads to trouble, or we can get up and brush ourselves off and switch lanes.  I have seen so many people over the years that are on fire for God, some with even a definite call to the ministry and some circumstance comes up and before you know it, they are out the door.

Oh, sure, they still love God. They are still good people. But many times, they rationalize their change in behavior as ‘God still understands.’ I agree he does, but he has set before us life and death, and it is up to us to choose life. We all have situations in our lives that can knock us down, but we have to keep in mind that his mercies are new every morning!

And here we are a brand new year. Not just a new day, but a whole year ahead of us! What are we going to do with it? Become new! Start fresh. Make this year the best of your life so far.

As a reminder, I have included downloadable links to a new twitter background below. It is free and available just for reading this article. How is that for a deal?

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• jpg version
• png version (higher quality)

Please note: These Twitter backgrounds are set for the NEW format Twitter pages at @1440 x 900 pixels.

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!

FREE TWITTER BACKGROUNDS!

The last couple of weeks have been to say the least trying. I woke up in the middle of the night close to the end of October and blood was coming out of my mouth and nose. The very next day, someone I was very close to decided that I no longer was a welcome part of their life.

I struggled for days with my emotions and health. The blood kept gushing out of me. I would go to the ER and run tests and they would send me home saying they could not find anything. It didn’t make any sense. How could so much blood be coming out of me and no reason why? What could possibly be the reason I would lose the one person that meant a lot to me? Why was all this happening?

My first instinct was to think I must have surely did something wrong. I thought about Jonah, not sure why, and how he was tossed about on the sea with the other passengers on the boat and they all would have died had he not come clean with his refusal to do what God had asked. But, no, I was trying to do exactly what God had requested of me, so that didn’t make sense. Apparently, God was mad at me for something, otherwise that wouldn’t happen.

It is very easy in the midst of a trial to assume that God is the reason for our troubles. I mean after all, He is God. He has the power of life and death, surely he knows what is going on in our lives and as thus, he must be responsible for it.

I admit I was not happy with God. Vomiting up blood, taking away someone who mattered to me. How dare he? And yet, the more I began to reflect on it, the more I realized how selfish I was being. Sometimes, life just happens. I know, it does seem it happens to us more than other people, but still and all it is still life. And more than that, we still have God, even if we are sick and hurting.

Someone asked me if I had ever read the book of Job. I have been through quite a few battles in the last several years, and yes, even before that, I had read the book of Job. I found myself compared to him in many instances when the doctors could not explain how I lost so much blood, and then got leukemia, and then too high of red count. It really doesn’t make sense to our natural minds.

We like to think that this is the way God is testing us. Allowing the enemy to put us through the ringer and realizing that in the end Job had three times as much as he had before. It is a nice thought to believe that when this battle is over, not only will we have what we lost, but even more so. But what if that doesn’t happen. What if we never get the answer we are looking for? Are we still going to keep the faith?

Next week is Thanksgiving in America. The day we all sit around and stuff our faces and fall asleep in front of a TV blaring some football game. Or perhaps we play games with the relatives that normally we don’t even have time to talk to, let alone really spend time with like we used to.

We have gotten so busy with our day to day lives that many of our friends, and yes, even our own family go unnoticed. Sure, when they call, we say hi, be nice, and maybe even pray for them, but when it comes to spending time with them, well most of the time, we just find too much to do for that to happen.

So, we will get busy making a turkey, baking a few pies, perhaps actually peeling potatoes instead of mixing up those packaged ones. We might even find time to make a cheese ball, or perhaps that famous cranberry salad. But, I wonder when will we find time to be thankful?

Are we thankful for our company? Are we glad that our family is not somewhere in a foreign land being shot at by an enemy? Are we thankful that even though times are tough, we still have food we can prepare? Have our lives been so busy with things and ideas and people, that we have forgotten to take time to really be grateful and tell God thanks for his keeping power?

In many places around the world, the stuff we take for granted doesn’t even exist. And yet, in those places many people are thankful for whatever they can get. We wonder why they have so many miracles and we hear stories of amazing things,but maybe it is just as simple as saying thanks to God.

In the story of the ten lepers, Jesus healed them, but only one came back to thank him. The one that did was made whole.

We don’t often think too much about leprosy, but those with it were outcasts, no one visited them, no one allowed them to come around the dinner table. At times, they might be missing fingers or toes, perhaps the skin would flake off on whatever they were doing. They could have even been missing an arm, leg, or even their nose.

Yet, they went away and did what Jesus commanded. They went to show themselves to the priest, but the one that came back was made whole. He didn’t have the scars, he may have been missing an arm, and that was back. The bible says he was whole from that very hour. All because he said thanks.

It is an amazing concept. Having a thankful heart can change our very life. I wonder this year, if instead of being in such a hurry to grab the yams, or perhaps that turkey leg, we can stop for a few minutes and find something in our life to be thankful about? It could change our lives!

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

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• jpg version
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Sometimes, the phrase ‘Identify yourself' can strike fear into even the toughest individual. Usually it means that we are in a place where we do not belong.

A flashlight may shine into a dark room where there is a rustle in the background and the voice may come from a police officer, or perhaps the voice may come from a military aircraft when we have not let them know why we are in restricted airspace, and then there is a reason  to fear. However, many times, it is just a question that people wonder about us. Who are we? What are we about?

It is easy as a ministry to just wear the tag christian or perhaps religious, but there is such a varied mix of spiritual ideas and theologies that sometimes,  no one knows what we are. That isn’t a good thing in most situations.  Our beliefs can be so varied, yet in our hearts and minds we know what we believe but sometimes we are either afraid to tell anyone, or perhaps we do not know how.

Individual spirituality is very important. We have to know what we believe without question, otherwise we are just a boat on the ocean with no engine and no oars to help us get where we are going. Stranded, just riding the waves. It is a scary thought, especially if you are in the ocean.

Having a church with no identity is the same way. Oh, I know everyone wants to be identified as a christian, but in the world we live in, we need to be sure and let them know what we actually believe, who we are, and where we can be found.

Yet, most churches don’t have an online presence of any kind. Not on Facebook, not a website, not even a church logo in most cases. So, which is more important? A logo or a website?

A Logo or a Website?

I thought about that a lot the last few days. Which really is more important? With a website you can show people what you you are about, how to find you, and contact information. A logo though is your brand. It is how you want to be identified. Maybe you are Pentecostal? Maybe you are Apostolic? While they are both very similar there are differences. There are a lot of Pentecostal churches that are independent and do not belong to an organization, not that I think an organization is the most important thing, but there are also Pentecostal churches that practice the Trinity faith. I don’t really get that one since Pentecost goes back to Peter, and he told them exactly how to baptize, but that is for another blog.

There are also differences between Apostolic churches, but most of those have to do with personal convictions and standards. However, does your city, your community, your neighborhood know who you are or even where you are?

How are you identified?

A logo can make the difference. It is a brand, the same way McDonalds is different from Burger King, the way AT&T is different from Verizon. We know what we are going to get because of the branding.

Your church or ministry is the same way.

When they see your logo they know about you even if they have never entered your church. They have heard about you already. They know your brand.

So make sure your brand is something that you are ready to be identified for a long time. It is how people are going to know you. If you say the word Nike, everyone knows they make tennis shoes. If you say Boeing, you know they make aircraft. And Kodak is known for? Exactly. You know without even having to think about it. So, what is your brand? How do you want to be known? A cross? A flame? Something else in mind?

Here are a couple ideas for you to think about.

If you are interested in defining yourself, creating a brand, an identity, contact us. We can help. Any of the above logos, for a limited time we will offer for a one time price of $49. We will edit them with your church name, ministry, or organization. If you are interested in something more unique, when you contact us mention the phrase “Identified with Christ” and we will take 30% off your logo design order. Hurry though, this is a limited time offer. Identify yourself!

This past week I was laying in a hospital bed recovering from surgery and I decided to turn on one of my favorite online apostolic video broadcasts. I have made a habit of watching the services from this particular website for several years and have been very blessed.

However this past week it was different. I tried to tune in as usual but they had decided to change the video format and it just wasn’t as good. The video content was choppy. It kept timing out. A couple of times I had to reboot my computer because it froze the screen, and truthfully I started wondering if I was going to be able to watch them anymore.

The pastor came on and mentioned that they were doing some updates to their website and in trying to keep up with technology they had decided to host their video feeds elsewhere, and were planning to have the services broadcast live for iPhone and iPad. I sent them an email about how degraded their content was, but they never responded back. I am hoping that they can fix it, but I have to say that their tech and design people have made a huge mistake in changing the usual windows media format for their online webcast. And this is the reason why…

Breaking down the iPad

I realize that right now iPads are all the rage. It is the newest ‘cool’ technology. On street corners, in bus terminals, on airplanes, and even in some church pulpits, the usual laptop, paper notes, or other formats have rapidly been changed to those who have this idea that the newest toy is the best. The majority of them are also the same people who have bought each new version of iPhone, Macbook, or other apple product. There is even an ideology that somehow having apple products that you have the best there is and many are willing to pay the high prices multiple times even when the technology hasn’t changed that much. It has become a church-like social group or perhaps even a cult.

Lets break it down though. From a design standpoint the iPad looks cool. It is lightweight, easy to hold in your hands, and already developers have made hundreds of applications to work on it. That is applications, not software, because unknowingly to many, the iPad is not a computer.

I realize some would disagree and they have their reasons, but from a technology standpoint the iPad is missing many of the key elements that would make it a must have for most people.

First, there is no keyboard. Yes, it does have a touch screen keyboard, but the average person needs the feel of the keys in order to type quickly. So, for most it would not be any good for any sort of data entry.

Second, there is no stylus, or even software for drawing available unless you want to use just your finger, and as a designer, that just wouldn’t cut it. You cannot do precise enough edits or touch ups with your fingertip regardless of what videos they show you. There is also no handwriting ability, even without recognition software. You can do a better job on some android phones than you can with an iPad.

Third, there is no video or camera component built it. Almost every computer you buy now has a built in webcam whether you buy a desktop, laptop, or netbook. Even the newer generation of televisions are coming out with built in video capabilities so that you can talk to family, friends, or perhaps do business and do a live video fee. Even most cell phones have built in cameras and video cameras that can take high resolution photos for you to share. Yet, somehow in the design process of the iPad they didn’t think a webcam was necessary.

The list could go on and on from no usb port without a special adapter you have to purchase separately, no hardware to even play a video on the iPad unless you download it online. Simply put, the iPad is just a reader with games, and internet capabilities. Its usability factor is just not there for most people. There will come a time when handheld touchscreen computers will exist and be a part of our everyday lives, but for now, the iPad is just a fad. It isn’t even a beta version of what is coming though, by then we will speak to the computer like they do on science fiction shows.

The souls factor of iPad

If you are still reading you may be wondering what all the tech perspective has to do with whether or not your church website should be available using iPad technologies.

With the way technology and the internet is changing, even the most ugly, poorest designed websites are live online, even on your current cell phone if you have a data plan.

While it seems nearly everyone wants an iPad or iPhone, the truth is not very many people actually have one. Number one, anything apple makes is very expensive for the average person.

Right now the price for even the cheapest iPad is about $500. If you are an apple fan you can get the brand new MacBook Air for around $1250, or you can use a windows based computer and get the same speed, bigger hard drive, bigger screen, and much more software for about $600. If you are not a tech person, you can get other laptops that you can do your emailing, social networking, video watching, etc. for around $350. If you go with a netbook, you can cut about $150 off that price. We are in a recession and most people cannot afford $500 for a reader and another $6-800 for a cell phone.

According to Fortune Magazine last week, there were 8 million iPads sold in 2010. There were 9.5 million iPhones sold. These figured are worldwide, not just U.S.

As for Windows-based computers, there was 240 million Windows 7 computers sold. I am not a fan of Windows 7, I still prefer Vista and XP, but the fact remains that the huge majority of people are still buying Windows-based computers.

If you go into a coffee shop probably one person out of everyone in there will have an iPad, unless you are in a tech region. Most libraries and schools still use Windows computers,and some are open to the general public who may not have a computer.

I have never in my life seen so many people begging for help on the street and I can guarantee you that they do not have an iPad or they would be selling it for food or to pay bills. We are in a hard recession, and the likelihood is that in the next year it will turn into a full blown depression. People are losing their homes, their health, and divorces are on the rise from so much stress in just day to day life. I hardly think that any of them would give up their bed for an iPad.

I know it sounds as if I am jealous of iPad owners. I am not. I have one. I won it in a design contest. I am thinking about selling it though because honestly it really isn’t useful for me. The Peek with its texting and email capabilities is more useful for me than an iPad. And it is much more affordable.

So, back to my point. You shouldn’t let your web designer create your church site, or produce your media on a format that most people do not have. I realize they are just trying to keep current but at what price?

That soul that is homebound doesn’t have an iPhone or iPad to pull out on Sunday and hear the word of God. That saint who used to come but has had a run of bad luck isn’t going to look for his church on an iPad. That missionary in a far off land is not going to grab his iPad when it is time for church in America. That lost junkie in the boroughs of New York is not going to hear the message of God told on an iPad. He may be lucky if he even has any computer.

The bible says to ‘go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’ That used to seem like such a monumental task, but now because of computer café’s widespread affordable internet, knock off computers even those in remote areas of Peru, or the Deserts of the Sudan, or perhaps even in the Kremlin or White House have access to the truth. It is our job to tell them, and now we have the ability to do so without having to ‘go.’

It cost less than an airplane ticket to broadcast your service live online. Actually it is probably closer to the cost of what you will have for lunch on Sunday afternoon. The message and technology has made it finally really reachable to the uttermost parts of the world.

Again, according to Fortune Magazine, statistics say that apple computer products; cell phones, laptops, iPads only has a 25% market share of the United States.

But no, lets design for the 8 million using the iPad and forget about the 7.5 billion who don’t. Without a vision the people perish.

Would Jesus have used an iPad? Don’t design for the fad. Use today’s technology to preach the old fashioned gospel.

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!