It is the beginning of the year and we reflect on the past, take stock of where we are, and try and put into places changes that will make us more successful. The same goes for website design, including church websites.

I have noticed over the last few years that of the few apostolics that do have websites for their ministry, most of them never update, or finish once it is started.

We all make excuses about our daily lives, and it might even be justified, but there comes a point when it can run over into changing the reflection of who we are as well. Our online activities and efforts can be either an effective tool or a big waste of time that benefits no one. A church ministry website is one such place.

While other areas of ministry are given much attention and most pastors would not show up for church with one shoe on, his suit inside out, and his big toe sticking out of the sock that is showing. Or the sister who teaches your children in Sunday School wouldn’t show up with her hose a wrinkled mess, or her hair not being combed, when it comes to the technology and creative sides of ministry we sometimes just let that slip away.

That is one of the reasons when you decide it is time to get online with your message you need to hire someone who has done it before, preferably a professional designer. If you didn’t, or even if you did and your site has been in limbo for a while, here are a few signs that you are in desperate need for an Extreme Makeover.

1. Incomplete Site

It can happen to the best of us, and usually does but if your site is unfinished and six months or more has transpired and it is still not finished, you need to call your designer, or find a new one.

There is a possibility that the information he needs has been sitting on your desk in that pile of papers you needed to file since last September, (it happens a lot), but chances are he got busy doing something else and forgot about you.

The number one reason most ministry sites go unfinished is that the information they need, such as pastor’s welcome, department information, schedules, and current photos have not been given to your designer to fill in. He cannot make the stuff up, he needs your information.

If your site still has Lorem Ipsum on it or Coming Soon, or links that go no where an other information that makes no sense to your site, (link here, asdakdd, Ridiculus, integer tincidunt, pellentesque proin tincidunt, natoque mauris urna augue tincidunt aliquam, Under Construction) or other filler information your site is in need of a makeover.

2. Outdated Information

Second biggest problem with most ministry sites is information that is outdated, or simply incorrect.  I was amazed recently when I was looking over a ministry site and saw animated swirly things, and a calendar date for a special event and it was dated June 4, 2002.

If your website has information on it that is older than six months, (it should be a month or less, but I will cut you some slack) then it is time for a makeover.

It is also time for an overhaul if your website lists your department heads from two pastors ago, and Sis. Shelley is listed as the church secretary and she has passed on, in fact you sang at her funeral, then it is time for an Extreme Makeover.

And yes, I am doing some of this tongue in cheek, because I don’t want to offend anyone, but I also want you to realize how silly it can be.

3. Missing Important Information

Recently someone asked me to take a look at their new website and tell them what I think. I might add that they were very proud of what had been done because it was supposed to be cutting edge design.  I was honored.

I spend a lot of time not only creating graphics and websites, but I also get paid to critique websites both for ministries and business to tell them what needs updated, how come their website doesn’t get them more business, and many times take a hard look at the site before it goes completely live.

Surprisingly enough, this pastor who was so proud, had forgotten to include information as to where his church was located, and the service schedule.

If you already went to the church, chances are you would already know all this information, but if you were a visitor you were out of luck.  They did have a contact page which included the name of the church, the city they were in but no street address, a clickable email address, and a phone number. 

I dialed the number, and got a ‘*beep* the number you are trying to call has been disconnected.’ The email address took me to my own email account, put the email address in the to box, and no other information.

Now that isn’t totally bad because you can fill in the details of the email yourself. However, do you ever get spam mail? Of course you do. 99% of the time, most spam mail starts by clicking such a link, and some unscrupulous marketing companies have what are called ‘spiders’ which browse websites all the time looking for contact information, and if they find an email address that is clickable, they take down that email and begin sending spam.

So, the chances are if you have such an address, even if it is correct, after a short while your email provider will notice the spam mail, and automatically start filtering the email to go into a spam folder, if it even reaches your desk.  That visitor who wanted to find out how to get to your church will end up in the spam folder or possibly even the recycle bin.

Shockingly, the other biggest missing information is that your beliefs are not included on your website. I have talked to some ministries that do not want that information there because they have been told by someone that it will drive away potential members. The theory behind this is that if your beliefs are somehow different from theirs, they will not make an attempt to come to your church. THIS IS WRONG.

Recently, I came across a blog of a young couple in Austin, Texas. They were new to the area and had decided they wanted to go to church. Partially out of just wanting to make friends, and partially to get back to their roots of where they had grown up.

They got on Google on their iPhone, (no one looks at a phone book anymore, really!), looked up the churches, and checked out a couple of websites. They came across one that seemed to be similar to what they grew up with, so they went the following Sunday.  It was not at all what they expected but they sat through the service and after arriving home, checked that church off the list of where to go.

The same thing happened the next Sunday. Another church website, another church visit, another check mark. This went on for five weeks, and the young lady decided to blog about their experiences. They were determined to find a church and so they turned it into an adventure.

What she found out was that your website reflects the way your church is. If your website is dull and boring, and hasn’t been updated in a while, the church is pretty much the same way.  One church they went to actually had burned out light bulbs in one of the hallways, and there was only a handful of people there, mostly elderly, and they were quiet and reserved. They didn’t feel that they fit in at all.

So, they tried a couple of more exciting websites. Flashy sites pumping graphics across the screen while music from a well known Christian Rock group emanated out of the speakers.  It seemed exciting, didn’t list what they believed but it was worth a shot.

When they got to the church, they were met by a guy with a bright red mohawk, tattoos up and down his arms, a dirty muscle shirt, and a nose ring. He invited them to stop over and try out the coffee bar where they were serving pastries and coffee drinks.  They tried it out and it was good, so they went in to the service when it started.

Heavy beats of a drum, loud guitar to where she wrote “I felt my ears might start bleeding at any time.” Then it slowed down for a moment as the red mohawk guy took the stage and started talking to them about ways to improve their physical appearance in order to be a better part of society. No joke.  He was the pastor.

She later wrote in her blog that there was nothing about what this church, if you can call it that, believed, and it was a total shock when they experienced it for themselves. They marked it off the list as soon as they got home.

They also found by simply driving around that most churches do not even have a simple website with service times and contact information.

After nearly a year they still never found a church where they felt they fit in. Their adventure continues.

You need to include what you believe and how you worship on your website, they are out there looking for somewhere to call home.

There are many more topics I could list to help you decide if your website needs a makeover, but in this posting I am only going to list one more for now.

4. Your Website is More Than Five Years Old

I know what you are thinking. Our website doesn’t look bad. It has the basic information. We even have a guest book and a spinning envelope graphic to tell them to email us.

While to some degree it may be getting the message partially out there, chances are no one who goes to your church ever visits your website, and its not likely any visitors do either. Chances are your website has many of the issues I have described.

I know of a church that every time I come across their website I cringe. It is not that it is ugly so much as it just looks old. There are a few pages with missing information and that “under construction” sign, but I have been aware of this church for more than four years now and the only thing that gets updated is their once-a-year church conference.

They pay someone several thousand dollars to make flyers, special business cards, and even a PowerPoint display. A copy of one of the flyers ends up on their website, but nothing else ever changes.

The website lists the name of a company that is supposedly the builder, but when you click it, it goes no where.  I was told that they have someone from the church who is supposed to be working on it when he can.

Knowing people in this church well, though, I know more about this church. They have a good spirit. They spend a lot of money on upgrading their church with large television monitors so that everyone can see the words to songs, the scripture text the preacher uses, and the announcements.  They are in the process of building a coffee house and a bowling alley at the church.

They have invested a lot of time and money in their church, and they have many special events for the community throughout the year. But behind the scenes, it is a different story, especially in the department that handles technology and creative ideas.

The computer that is used to display the PowerPoint presentation when they have their conference is more than ten years old, and a good percentage of the time freezes up when they try and advance too fast.  The mouse  connected to the computer (who uses those anymore) has a wire that runs down the wall and is intermingled with all the other cords and wires that run the computer, monitor, sound board, and recording equipment.

Yet, the pastor has often been quoted as saying he wants the screens with the songs and his ‘scriptures more flashy,  and faster somehow, and why is this computer so much slower than my Mac or my Ipad.’ His MacBook was new last summer.

This church has done a lot of good in their community. They have some great services, but their website displays how important they think it is to have the correct tools to get your message across. Our world is turning more and more to smaller, more efficient ways to get the messages.

We have Ipads, laptops, internet enhanced televisions and cards, and almost everyone over the age of eight has a cell phone that can text, get music, surf the internet, and do a lot of tasks that keep them connected to their lives.

Yet, when it comes to making sure that those who need to know this message can find it, in all the truth that we believe, we go lacking desperately.

Is it Time for an Extreme Makeover in your church? On your website?

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?

This time of year there is a certain respect for most people about the birth of Christ, even if you do not claim to be a Christian.

From children singing ‘Away In A Manger’ to living Nativity scenes in local communities, everyone knows that there is going to be more talk, images, and references to Jesus and His birth.

While the multitudes of people do not acknowledge Him in their own personal lives, they do accept that Christmas is directly related to Christ’s birth and they don’t seem to mind. They may even display Christian symbols; angels, crosses, doves, crèches, mangers on tables, walls, doors, and Christmas trees.

However, there is a growing group of people who are trying everything in their power to not only remove references to Christianity from our lives, they even want to remove Him from Christmas. They have decided that while we cannot discriminate against and must even respect Muslims, Buddhists, or other pagan religions, that Christianity must at all costs be removed from our lives.

In God We Trust

This phrase has appeared on U.S. coins since 1864 and on paper currency since 1957. It has been a part of our daily lives for most of us since birth, and while it does not specifically say Jesus Christ is Lord, it is the accepted reference, and there have been factions that have tried to remove it from our money, or any other U.S. document, building, or monument because of the constitutional statute of separation of church and state. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that this is not a violation of that statute, but still in all there are secular groups that use this as their banner ideology in removing God due to their own opinion that this violates the constitution.

Monuments, plaques, or other displays that include any references to the God of The Bible are considered issues. From the Ten Commandments to crucifixes, The Pieta, and other religious icons are being torn down, or at the very least issues of contention for many who want God removed from view.

It makes one wonder why there is also not such an outcry against Buddhas, Muhammads, Wiccan, and other images? Do they not consider them religious symbols as well? No room for Him here.

Politics Over Personal Preference?

Now, let me make it clear, I am a practicing Christian in all aspects of my life.  I do believe that God is integral even in the DNA of every human body, and I believe that the message must reach every person that they may be saved.

When it comes to being aggressive against other religions, politicians, ideologies, or creeds, I have not adopted a stance of hate against anyone. Even those with values I find abhorrent and against every principle of the Bible, I have chosen not to attack. People are people, and all humankind deserves life.

The Bible says all have sinned, and while there are certain beliefs that are in fact, sin, even God himself gave us free will. Regardless of whether or not you choose to live a sinful life, and are in direct violation against the scriptures, I am not your judge.

However, there are certain aspects of my beliefs that make me want to take a stand and shout unto the heavens against the forcible actions that are attempting to remove Christ from my life and the lives of others. This past year it has became abundantly more clear, that as Christians we must take a stand against the current ideologies of the current U.S. Government administration. Their philosophies and bias has become part of the force to remove Christ, God, and other Christian principles, even inferred ones, from our country. Plenty of room for Buddha, Muhammad, and other religious icons but no room for Christ.

Did You Know?

On September 14, 2011 Chief of Staff C.W. Callahan of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center sent out a memo about policies that cover guidelines for wounded, ill, and injured partners in care (our wounded soldiers).  It stated that, 'No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading material, and/or artifacts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.’

A Republican lawmaker denounced the policy on the House floor and called on President Obama to publicly renounce the military policy.

‘That means you can’t bring in a Bible and read from it when you visit your son or your daughter, perhaps – or your wife or husband,”  Representative King said. ‘It means a priest that might be coming in to visit someone on their death bed couldn’t bring in the Eucharist, couldn’t offer Last Rites. This is the most outrageous affront.’

This would also mean our own Apostolic preachers, or even the soldier’s family could not bring in a prayer cloth, or even giving one of their own magazines, books, tracts, or other religious materials to the wounded soldier.

While Walter Reed National Military Medical Center has said this was not their expressed intent to restrict soldier’s families from praying for them, the policy was enacted as to not force ‘one’s religion on others who may be nearby.’

President Obama has made no comment or taken any action on this issue as of the writing of this article.

No room for Him even with our wounded soldiers who have fought for our liberties?

Removing Christ From Christmas & Thanksgiving

There have been a lot of over the past two years about changing the wording of Christmas celebrations to Holiday or other derivatives.

This year has been no different and unless you have been living in a cave somewhere you are well aware of stories that have come out about communities changing the names of Christmas displays to Holiday displays on the premise that just saying the word, ‘Christmas’ can be construed as offensive.

Our stores are packed with Christmas sales and shoppers and no one seemed to mind regardless of their personal beliefs about that. In fact this year on ‘Black Friday’ was considered one of the best sales days in recent years, even in a bad economy, but let’s get rid of the word ‘Christmas’ anyway. 

I am wondering if they changed it to Holiday sales, would people still come out and shop, and what about sales on other acknowledged holidays?  Maybe we should remove the name of all holidays, including Independence Day, because it will surely offend someone.  If we are intent on removing Christ from Christmas, then what is the difference?

Remove Valentine’s Day from any mention and I wonder what kind of outcry would there be to that?  After all there are many who are single, alone, lonely and do not like that day. But no, this is just one other way to remove Christ from our lives.

Even our own President this year made no reference to God or Christ in his Thanksgiving message. He said to be thankful, but doesn’t being thankful require giving thanks to someone? It is an action word even though we have made it more about turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie, than about being grateful to God for giving us another year. I wonder what the Pilgrims would think?

President Obama also this year when bringing in the official national Christmas Tree, called it a ‘Holiday Tree’.  For someone who has been very vocal to say he is a ‘Christian’ to put down distractors who say he is in fact a Muslim, and likely not even an American, I am amazed that he is so afraid of offending that he would call it a Holiday Tree instead of a Christmas Tree. Or is not that he is afraid of offending at all, but instead is like many out there who want Christ removed from Christmas?

If Christ were to be born today instead of two thousand years ago, would there be a bed for Him in the White House?

Is There Room For Him In Your Life?

In John chapter five, Jesus said, ‘I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.’

From His birth to His death, it seemed that many had no room for Jesus. Sure, when it came to miracles and blessings, they wanted in on that. His messages might have moved them on the hillside, and of course the healings and miracles moved people to such a frenzy that the government of that time, much like ours today, plotted to remove Him out of fear of His taking power away from them.

But it goes much deeper than that, many of us do not acknowledge Him in our lives either. We are quick to point out others who would want Christ removed, but possible due to unconscious neglect, or perhaps a whittling away of our faith, we don’t often think of Him either.

I have a print of the cover from The Saturday Evening Post in November 1951 hanging on the wall in my kitchen. It depicts an elderly lady and her grandson praying in a restaurant over their meal, while others look on with great interest.

I have seen movies, and even TV shows from the era that had families gathered around the table saying ‘grace.’  Yet, for many of us, praying over our food has fallen by the wayside. We are in such a hurry running through the fast food drive-thru that we grab our food out of the sack, take a drink from our soda or coffee and back on to the hustle of our lives, without a thought to stop and say a prayer.

Now I realize most of us are in a hurry, but we don’t pray over our meals when we go out with friends or family either, for that matter most of us do not pray over food in our own homes, except for maybe at Thanksgiving or Easter. It has become an afterthought.

Growing up, I remember we always prayed over meals no matter where we were. We would pray before we went to bed, or on a trip somewhere, and many of us had daily family devotions of bible reading and prayer before we would start our day. It was a normal part of our lives. In fact, in my house even guests spending the night, missionaries or evangelists that were staying with us, would also get up early in the morning before my father left for work to read a chapter out of the Bible and each individual prayed one after the other from the youngest that could speak even a phrase or two being helped, to the oldest person in the family. It was a part of our lives.

But now it seems we are too busy. Our Bibles sit on a shelf or table, unless we are headed to church. We get up and eat, or go to bed crashing from the day without taking time to pray or read the Word. I admit I am as guilty as anyone when it comes to personal devotions and prayer. We can make all kinds of excuses, but really it comes down to effort. We don’t take the time because He is not ever present in our thoughts. Maybe that is part of the reason for the decline in marriages working, families being dysfunctional, and the ever increasing amount of tragedies and disappointment in our lives. No room for Him.

Is There Really Room For Him In Your Ministry ?

We shout it out from our pulpits and pews to our literary publications, broadcasts, and music. We exclaim our love and passion for Him and our burden for others to know Him. We rave against those who teach false doctrine, we sign petitions and share emails with references to Christ or His removal from our lives.

We are quick to let it be known we are not the same as others who believe different from us, in fact we often criticize others who do not have the same doctrines or dogmas.

Yet while we criticize other faiths, we see them on the streets sharing their message while we keep our enclosed in the four walls of our sanctuary. We used to be about door knocking, handing out tracts, raising money for missions by collecting aluminum cans or selling baked goods in our shopping malls.

Many a church was built by selling peanut brittle door to door, and many times the life we lead away from church was the instrument for others coming to visit our church, even if we were not eloquent in our speech, or aggressive in our approach.

Now, Instead of being proactive in our communities, we have become more ‘protective’ of our saints to the point that when someone leaves our congregation we stop acknowledging their existence.  We have no room for those who fall away, even if they are in the hospital or going through trials that most of us cannot bear ourselves. It is much easier to criticize and cast judgment than it is to still reach out to the lost sheep.  We are so adamant about keeping ‘our saints’ that we take the message out of our public schools, jobs, and other areas of our community.

But we wonder come Sunday, or a revival meeting, why the handful sitting in our pews are the ones we see all the time? But we will keep shouting about our burden for a move of God, and the revival He has promised so many times. But we will be shouting to the same ones that always hear us. After all, they know where we are. If they needed God why aren’t they coming to church?

We will preach about missing church, not paying tithes, and other parts of our doctrine and be critical about those that miss even one Sunday. But going to church doesn’t make you a Christian. Living the life, sharing the message does. Maybe because we have become so busy in our lives, ministries, programs, and plans, that we do not even realize we didn’t leave room for Him.

No Room For Him?

I woke up this morning to news about a sculpture of Christ near a Veterans Hospital in Montana that overlooks a lake. It has been there since the early 1950s, but somehow there has been a petition to have it removed recently because it might possibly offend someone.

Sixty-plus years that image of Christ has sat in the same spot, and now someone wants it gone. At first, I was outraged, and then I thought about it. An image is just an image, it is not Christ. In fact you can buy a toaster that will put an image of Christ on your morning toast each day, and no putting an image there doesn’t make you more spiritual, nor does it make your toast blessed.

However, the commentator was railing about how dare they want to remove this image? In fact this article started from that idea. But the truth is, while we rail and complain about people wanting to remove Christ from our lives, for most of us, He is not really an integral part of our lives. We call ourselves Christian, but we do not practice even the basic Christianity that used to be normal.

We used to sing, ‘This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine…’ but we do not have time to even stop and whisper a prayer, read a scripture, let alone tell someone.

When is the last time, other than a church service, you picked up your Bible, said a prayer that lasted more than a minute, or told someone not about how wonderful your church is, our how your pastor said this or that, but talked about Christ Himself?

We had room for Him at one time, when we were looking up from the pits of despair, lost without knowing Christ. And even though there are countless souls in the same place, fighting the same issues you were, looking for answers but we do not have room for Him.

No Room For Him… Again

They say history repeats itself. When He came into this world, they couldn’t find a place for Him. When He ministered, He had no place to lay His head. When He died, He was buried in a borrowed tomb. We talk about Him being as close as the mention of His name, and many have shouted His name in peril, but as life slips by once again, we have no room for Him. It really isn’t that hard to find room.

• Get up a little bit early tomorrow and say a prayer, or take time to read a scripture.
• Take a moment when you are rushing through the checkout lane to thank God for the food you are buying.
• When you see someone begging beside the road, even if you don’t have a dollar to spare, take a bit of time to pray for them, or stop and say hi.
• When you think about our country and the changes that are taking us down the wrong path, instead of just getting mad, say a prayer.
• When you put your child to bed, even when they wail about not wanting to go, go with them, kneel by their bed and pray a bit.
• When you come home from a long day at work, take a few moments as you change clothes or prepare some food to thank God.
• Take that extra food in your pantry that you know you won’t eat and give it to someone, or a local food bank.
• When you are unwinding at the end of the day, take a few moments extra, put down that book or remote, and tell God how grateful you are.
• Stop for a moment before you text your friends, or read updates on your Facebook page to remember that without Him none of it would exist.
• Before you open your Christmas gifts this year, gather around with your family and read the Christmas story one more time.  Luke 2:1-21

Make Room For Him… Again

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Browsing around the internet today for inspiration, I was pleasantly surprised to see that some ministries and churches are beginning to update their websites.

It wasn’t that long ago that I wrote about those ministries that still had leftovers on their website from the last millennium and they didn’t look as if they even remembered they had a website, the information was so out of date.

I did run across a few sites that still had a calendar and event banners from 2008 but for the most part, a lot have improved by updating their content and graphics. This is always a good thing.

Information should be updated on your website at least monthly. If you haven’t already, it is a good idea to see if  there is someone in your church that has knowledge to update your website content. It is important for your church members to have a place they can go to if they forget what is happening next Wednesday, but it is also a way for visitors to find out what is currently going on in your church.

Your Site Should Reflect Your Ministry

Many churches have a fairly simple website listing only their schedule, location, and contact information, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, if the contact information is out of date, or perhaps the name of your ministry has changed, or you have new leadership, it should be updated on your site as well as your other promotional materials.

Sometimes the church or ministry website falls into disrepair simply because no one takes time to update it. I know of one site, that shall remain nameless, that has had someone ‘working’ on their site for the past two years. I was surprised somewhat a couple of weeks ago when I went to their site and what I recall from the first time I saw it two years ago, is still there.

Sure, they have the pretty ‘under construction’ images with ‘more information coming soon’ but if it hasn’t changed in two years, you need to hire someone new to take care of it. Or if it is a member in your church or ministry that works on your website, it is time to find someone else. I know if can be hard if you are a small church to find someone who knows how, but if you leave it up to Aunt Josephine’s second cousin’s high school nephew to update your site, there is a good possibility he will be graduating college before your information is updated.

Or perhaps your ministry is as far behind as your website indicates?

Update your website!

Too Much Of A Good Thing

When the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness, God sent manna each morning to feed them. They were required to rise each morning and collect enough manna to feed their families for the day. It was set up by God to be a daily task.

Some thought they would be wise and not have to get up each day so they collected more than they needed so they would have some left for the next day. I am not sure if they just figured it would be easier, if they were lazy and only wanted to work once a week or so, or maybe they just wanted to sleep in.

But everyone who collected manna new each day had plenty to sustain them for the day. Those who decided they were smarter than the plan of God, ended up with a little extra protein in their manna. Worms.

The manna would be available first thing in the morning with the dew. If you waited to get your supply until noon, you were out of luck. If you had decided to keep extra from the day before, you would open your pantry and find worms squirming in your food. Not very good.

There are plenty of scriptures in the bible that talk about praying in the morning.

Some mention the very early morning talking with God before the day begins. Even before the sun is on the horizon, finding a place of sanctuary with God.

I have found, for myself, praying when I first wake up always seems to leave me with more energy and time for other things, and I am not so easily distracted with life. Maybe that is why for the past couple weeks I am waking up so early? I groan and lay there hoping to fall back asleep, but finally get up realizing it isn’t going to happen. And no, you can never pray too much.

But, I digress, that is a topic for another day, and perhaps one of my other blogs.

It’s Good But It Is Also TOO MUCH

While looking at inspirational websites, I came across a few that had good intentions but from a design and usability feature had entirely too much content on the front page.

One one side of their front page they had the following:

• Social Media Follow Buttons
• A Search Our Store Option
• Free Newsletter Sign-Up
• Splashy Banner for a trip overseas (including cost)
• News articles related to their ministry mission
• Registration Area for a conference
• & a video

The rest of the page was very similar. On the main page they had fifteen (15) call to action options. This did not include all of the links to various articles they had written, topics for discussion, another video, more subscription and order links.

Displaying options for call to action on the main page is very popular and useful in trying to get your viewer to interact with your website. Whether you have something for sale, a video they should see, or perhaps a newsletter you want to entice them to subscribe to, call to action features are vital for keeping the viewer on your site.

But…

When you have so many on one page, the viewer can, and will get lost.

What To Choose?

Just today in the supermarket, I was in the frozen food section where a sale was going on, and I couldn’t get to the item I needed because a lady was there looking at the same thing. She remarked, ‘there are just too many choices to choose from.’ I know how that is.

Go down the cereal aisle sometime.  There are the name brands we all know, but usually in more than one size. There are generic or store brands that are similar but have different names, and usually the packaging is less intrusive but we ‘get more for the money.’ And then there are the new cereals that look so enticing in the commercials and you may even have a coupon. And, lets not forget the weekly circular ad for the store. Even still other cereals are ON SALE.

The same is true of the content on your ministry website.

It has been said that ugly websites do not reach people. The same should be said for websites that are pretty but have entirely too much content in one spot. That isn’t design, that is clutter!

Oh Good! You found the site you were looking for, but where do you go to find out what you want to know? There are lots of links, lots of banners, lots of…

Too much of a good thing?

I am sure somewhere on that website, there was links to what they believe, who they are, and where to locate them. I didn’t see it though.  I am sure they believe in Jesus, after all everything on their site has to do with their ministry, but it was lost somewhere in all the clutter.

What value do you place on the message if they can’t find it? Is that how it is at your church? Too much going on? You have lots of programs, special music, dramas, lights, and more that the message is getting lost? It’s what your website is telling me. No don’t worry. I know the truth already. But what about the person who doesn’t? If they are lost on your website…?

How will they find the message?

Are you using all of the available tools to reach the people in your community? Are you an evangelist who travels the world and you know that the message isn’t getting to everyone you would like it to? Do you have a church choir, and love the way Sister Susie sings that one song, but she doesn’t have it recorded?

There are all questions we should be asking ourselves when we sit down to determine how to do a better job at reaching the lost. With the technology available today, it is a shame if we don’t use more of the options available.

We have all heard of tape ministries. Most of us would purchase cassettes at conventions or even take home tapes from the message the pastor preached last Sunday. But in most instances, there were very valuable messages, and insights that have been lost because we did not really put enough effort into that ministry; it was mostly just an afterthought. Yet, a tape recorder, a few blank cassettes, and hook it up to a microphone and we had a way of reaching those that didn’t make it to church that day.

Now, I realize not every message is worth documenting for posterity, but the bible says “all scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Even those Bible Studies where it was all we could do to keep awake, had some importance, but most of them are lost in some box and we have no idea where to find them.

Having a tape ministry was more than just something to add to our already overburdened church, it was a history of what transpired, and for those of us who still have a few tapes lying around, and a way to play them, we can still glean inspiration from those messages of old.

It is too bad we did not use that tool to its full effectiveness.

Many years ago, God gave insightful messages to my late pastor, Peter Shebley, involving the end time, and things that would transpire. Usually, the church was packed out during the messages about the mark of the beast, black helicopters, and how we could be persecuted, but it was a message that not many wanted to hear. Yet, even today, someone mentioned a friend talked to them about the earthquakes, wars, and all that is going on us right now, and said they wish they could hear Bro. Shebley talk about the end time again. The sad thing is, even though I am sure someone has a few tapes stored somewhere, they are not available to those who really want to hear the messages. The message has been lost.

I remember several times in the past of discussions with the pastor, and different ones would say, we need to have you write a book, or perhaps record it on cassette or video, so that when the time comes, we can know what to do. There was even a time or two where his relatives started to do something like that, and yet it never happened for some reason.

I still remember portions of those messages, and sometimes in my closeness with my pastor, we would discuss certain aspects, but for the most part, those messages have been lost, because the value of documenting those topics was not fully seen, or at least not enough effort was made.

My aunt wrote a book in the final days of her life, and labored even though she was gravely ill. She was a pastor’s wife, a minister and great preacher in her own right, and would also do revivals in her younger years, and there were some topics that she felt were important for people to hear, or read about, even after she was gone. They made tapes of some of her final messages she preached,and they are sitting in a box somewhere at my parents, but her anointing and her fervor is greatly missed because she is gone, and the messages are misplaced. The book she wrote, and even left funds to publish in her will, has never been completed or published and it sits somewhere, collecting dust. Again, the message has been lost.

What I wouldn’t do to be able to sit down with either of them, and talk about what is happening in my own life, let alone what is happening in the world around us. It is heartbreaking really.

I preached a message once called, “Memorial Stones.” In it, I talked about the children of Israel when they crossed into the promise land, were told to leave behind twelve stones beside the Jordan river, and when asked what those stones meant, they were to tell about the victories, the trials, and wars and about how God delivered. I am fairly certain those stones are gone, but in my message I tried to explain to others how important it was that we left behind memorials for all the things God had done for us so that those that come after would find something to draw strength from. 

I still believe that today. Sometimes, the message gets so confusing in our world today, and while we still have the bible to draw from, there are times when we all wish we could hear someone preach one more time, or we could talk to them, or even read what they left for us to help us find direction. Yet, much of that message has been lost, because we did not realize how important it was.

Now, I realize that almost no one has the necessary equipment to play cassette tapes anymore. Many years ago, most churches that recorded messages put them on CDs, and when the time came moved to DVDs. So, if there is any documentation it is on those items, if they can be found.

Many ministries have moved on to video in the past several years, which is understandable giving the technology is more readily available and affordable than it used to be, but the fact is, most churches still think it is too expensive, or even impossible to get their message out in these media applications.

However, being able to record your messages in mp3 format is very easy with the available hardware and software that is very affordable. Using programs like Audacity, gives us the ability to edit, encode with titles, dates, etc on each file with relative ease.

It is becoming more and more possible for even the smallest ministry to spread the message even further than ever before. We just have to make the effort.

But what do you do with the messages you record? You could put  a series of them on a DVD available for sale, which is what a lot of new media ministries do. Or, you can upload them to a website, not looking to profit from the message, and let anyone who has access download them for listening at their convenience.

Whether you are a shut-in in a nursing home, a miner working underground, or even an airline pilot, the technology is available to spread the message across the world in ways we never dreamed of in the past.

MP3 players are very inexpensive and most of us even have one on our cell phones, ready to play at a moments notice.

Preacher, is your message worth sharing? Are you ready for it to go to the uttermost parts of the world? It can, if you will let it.

But, you say, you don’t have a website? That too is no longer a problem, because another part of your ministry, is what you write. And there are many places online where you can create a blog, for FREE! You are reading one right now. It didn’t cost me anything, but I can let you know who I am, what I believe, what I do, etc. And, with some of the FREE Hosting options available, you can upload your message in mp3, and link to it in your blog, and it won’t cost your ministry a cent.

In the coming weeks, I will be covering some of these topics in more detail:

• FREE Hosting Options
• Blogging Site
• Audio & Video Software Sources
• Your Message Online FREE
• so much more!

Your message is just as important to reach those who are busy, or shut-ins, or across the world, as it is to preach to those who walk thru the doors of your sanctuary, and now you have the power to do it. Paul, Peter, even Jesus did not have the options to spread the message the way we have it now. It is a very important time in the world, and our world needs Jesus.

Media Ministries can change the world. Is your message worth sharing?