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

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

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

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

UPDATE YOUR LINKS!

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

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

A FEW SUGGESTIONS

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

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

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

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

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?

It is the ten year anniversary weekend of 9-11. We don’t actually mention the year when we talk about it, because the day is forever etched in our minds due to the heinous acts brought about upon our country by Muslim extremists.

Regardless of who we are, all of us have been affected by the actions of a few upon that day. Most of us, with the exception of a few toddlers, or perhaps some living in far away lands, can tell you what happened on 9-11 by just mentioning the date.

It has changed the way all of us live our lives to some degree, and for many of us we can tell you exactly where we were when it happened. Our memories take us back to that very moment without much difficulty.

We Remember Where We Were When…

It is actually hard to believe it has been ten years, unless I stop and think about it. Over the last few days, there has been lots of commentary online, on television,  and wherever else we get our news. We talk about it with friends and family, and perhaps think back to the day and can tell you where we were, and what we were doing, and how we reacted the moment we heard.

Most of us had never really been affected as much by an event in our lives, on a particular day, until that moment. Yes, we can remember births, deaths, and other moments in our lives, but events that really change who we are, don’t happen very often.

I could tell you in detail the exact moment I heard about 9-11. I know where I was, what I was doing, and how I was drawn to the ongoing news about it. I couldn’t drag myself away from the television for several hours. It affected me. Our country had been attacked.

Yes, there were many who lost their lives, or loved ones upon that day, who were more deeply affected than I was, but the shock of it all will forever be a moment I won’t forget.

It reminds me of hearing stories from my parents and others when I grew up of the assassination of JFK. To this day, my dad could tell you, where he was on that moment.  I remember stories from teachers and family who would talk about the great depression in similar fashion.

These were events that altered the course of their lives. But, when those hijacked jet airliners hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 9-11-2001 all of us had the course of our lives altered.  Even those yet to be born will be affected by that day, and will study about it in school history books for years to come. It changed our lives.

I Remember…

Maybe it was the news coverage, maybe my own thoughts, or perhaps a dream, but I woke up around 3:00 AM this morning, thinking about all of this. It brought me back to a memory of another time and another place where I was preaching about ‘Memorial Stones’ in a church where most of my family attended.

I recall the day I was supposed to preach going down by the river and getting several large stones to set up by the pulpit as a visual aid for my message. I wanted the message to impact those who heard me.

I really don’t know if anyone remembers it, but I do. In Joshua chapter four, the scripture talks about the children of Israel getting ready to go into the promise land, and Joshua commands twelve men to take stones with them, and leave them by the banks of the river Jordan.

⁶That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

⁷Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. Joshua 4:6-7

Memorial Stones

We all have moments in our lives we remember. Most of the time when we talk about memories, we talk about the good times. We don’t use stones to help us remember, but most of us have photos, or some other token that will remind us.

In fact, there are entire businesses built upon this fact. Who hasn’t went on vacation somewhere and brought back some small souvenir. Maybe a t-shirt, or perhaps a small icon of a monument, and most of us also take lots of photos.

For those of us who have become friends on Facebook, occasionally someone will post a photograph of a church camp, or some other moment captured in time, and we can look back on that image and recall good times in that place, or with those people.  It is a good thing to remember.

Of course, not all of our memories are good, but it is still good to think about moments in our lives that changed the course of our destiny.

Maybe we can think back to the day we first went to school, or when we graduated for sure.

For some of us, we remember fondly back to the day we got the Holy Ghost or were baptized. Maybe it was in our local church, or perhaps at camp meeting. I recall very vividly to this day my experience at camp meeting. I can still recall the yellow shirt and white jeans I was wearing in the tabernacle at Rocky Mountain District Camp. Camp on the Boulder.

It was a good place, and many of my family and a lot of friends remember good times at that place. The power of God was so strong there. Many miracles took place there. I heard many great messages there from many men who have become leaders and icons of our faith, and I am forever grateful for the messages that they preached that impacted my life.

I know many who were there that it forever changed the course of their lives.  There are some, as well, who I recall pouring out their hearts before God, but yet, they live a far different life now than they seemed to want then.

Where Were You When…

Was it simply that their lives were not as impacted as it seemed at the time? Or perhaps, other events occurred later that also changed the course of their life?

Last night I watched part of an interview with Piers Morgan. The man he was interviewing owned a company that was in the World Trade Towers at the moment the planes struck the towers on 9-11. More than six hundred of his employees died on that day.

That particular morning he would have been there as well, but it was the first day of kindergarten for his son.  He had chosen to be there for his son’s first day of school and he showed a photograph of the moment. Little did he know at that very moment the terrorists had plunged one of the airliners into the first tower at World Trade Center.

When I woke up at 3:00 AM, I wasn’t thinking about all the people who lost their lives on that day, or that it took our country into two wars, or the effect the event had on this man particularly. I was thinking about his son.

What stories did this little boy hear growing up? His son would be a teenager now. What did he hear from his dad and others about what happened? He lost an uncle in that event, but how else was his life affected. What was he told? And is he living the life his father expected for him before that event?

Has It Changed Anything?

Sure, forever there are little things that have changed. Like all of us, getting on an airplane now is different. Probably, due to the changes in his dad’s company, it has changed some things. But is his life better or worse because of it, or do they even still talk about it? Is it just an after thought?

I could ask those reading this the same questions.

I remember some who were so full of excitement, and love for God and their families when I remember back to church camp. It was more than just a religious experience for those of us who got to attend, it was indeed, life changing. There are memories from those days that will forever be fond for me.

There were a lot of fun times, a few times when not everything was so fun. I recall one year when most of the camp ended up leaving sick due to some bug in the water system. But for the most part I remember good things.

For some though, I wonder if those moments meant as much as they did to me?

I also recall moments at the church I attended where lives were transformed. Messages that some individuals preached with anointing from the same pulpit I did. Some of them have passed now, but I can still recall moments of their messages that deeply affected me.

I recall my uncle preaching one Sunday, on ‘A Piece Of An Ear.’ He’s passed on now in a much better place and I am looking forward to the moment I see him again. I recall him with great love and fondness for the impact he made on my life.

Others I recall with great detail about the way they dressed up to make a point, or what happened at the end during the altar call. I remember praying for some and seeing change in them.

But where are they now? Although the message was impacting for me, and changed my life, did it change theirs? Sure, I realize other events have happened in their lives since. I know that some of them went through hardship that seemed to have no limits. But when they look back at the ‘memorial stones’ in their lives, what do they recall?

How Did It Affect Them?

The teenage boy whose dad took him to kindergarten on 9-11, has his life been good? Is he headed in the direction his dad had in mind for him on the morning he documented with a photograph at his child's school? Is he happy?

Or has his path taken a direction that his father would never approve of? Is his son now involved in drugs or some other situation that his dad only hopes will change before it is too late?

We all have events like this. Moments in time that altered our lives, sometimes shattered them. But how has it affected our children? Are they ok? If we could go back to the moment our life was changed, what were we thinking would be the outcome then? And what about our leadership? Are they leading us in the direction we should be going?

Politically, I am sure not many of us would say yes. I think most of us had a different future in mind when we look back to the moments the course of our lives changed.

I wonder if the spiritual ‘us’ from those moments would be happy with where we ended up?

Is Who We Are Who We Were Meant To Be?

If we could step back to some of the moments in time to where we were happy, where good things were happening, would we look forward to the moments we had children and be proud of where they are now? Or would the ‘us’ from that moment not be happy with the outcome of our lives or theirs.

Has our leadership taken us the wrong direction? Watchmen, what of the night? Are you leading us in the direction that is right for our souls? In Isaiah we can read of them setting the watchmen on the wall to keep their eyes open in case something happens. There is a reason God sent forth preachers and ministers. they are not just there to say a pretty message on Sunday. They are supposed to be watching for our souls and leading us in a direction that will ultimately take us to the promise.

Sadly, some have gotten more caught up in personality and performance more than in protection.

Just as 9-11 has affected all of us, the direction the ministry set for our churches also affects us. It can alter our destiny. Are we heading the direction we are supposed to be, or have we ended up off track and are just riding the rail into a path of destruction? Are you happy with where your church is? Are souls being reached? Are lives being changed? And more importantly, is it a good change?

Watchmen, what of the night?

But, it doesn’t just fall to the ministry.

When Joshua commanded them to set memorial stones, he left a lot of the responsibility on the parents. Whether or not we like it, or even accept it, it is mostly the responsibility of those of us who are older to prepare the way and direct the course of those who come after us. If we are parents, it is our responsibility to give proper direction to  our children. We should be leading them in the paths that will not only benefit them in this world, but in the world to come.

Where Are You Now?

Are you where you expected you would be ten years ago? Fifteen? More? Is this the course you set for your life?

Philosophers, politicians, and others in our daily lives have led us in a direction that tends to blame the responsibility on others. It is our parents fault that we ended up this way or that. Or it is the fault of the former leader because he didn’t direct us the way we now think he should have. It is very easy to look back and cast blame for our current situation.

To some extent, they may be right in a global sense, but in personal responsibility, the blame should be cast upon ourselves.  Sure, if our lives are not where they need to be, some of the responsibility can fall on our parents and leaders. We are supposed to set the direction for the generations to come. But ultimately it all comes down to personal responsibility.

Whether we are talking about our emotional, physical, secular needs or our spiritual needs it is our own responsibility to take charge of where we are. But it is still up to those who have gone before, especially our parents, to guide us in the proper direction.

So, I ask you, did you point your children in the right direction? Are you truly happy with their lives? If you could go back a few years, would you still be happy with their lifestyle? Would you do anything different? And are you happy with your own life? Is this where you thought you would end up?

Where Are We Headed?

The course of action that father took on 9-11 forever changed the direction his son’s life will take, just as much as the terrorists who hijacked those planes.

Some sacrificed their own lives to save others. While they are remembered as heroes and possibly protected us from what could have been an even greater tragedy, it still changed the lives of those they interacted with. Many of our military have also made sacrifices for our freedom that personally changed the lives of those who knew them, but it also changed the course for the rest of us.

Each of us holds the responsibility for what happens to the next generation. It doesn’t matter if we are parents, ministers, friends, teachers, or we just pass someone on the street.

The words that come out of our mouths, and the actions we take will affect someone else’s destiny.

Cain, after slaying his brother, asked God, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ YES!

We truly are our brother’s keeper. What you do today, no matter how significant it seems, it will have an effect on someone. We all have responsibility for our lives, for the lives we touch, for our family, for the generations to come.

What will your answer be, when someone asks…

Where Were You When?

Have you ever really stopped and consider the ant?

Oh, I know we all do to some degree. We see them on our kitchen counter and immediately grab something to swat at them. Or perhaps we see some on the floor and look for spray to get rid of them.

We think of them as pests and dirty and do our best to get rid of them as quickly as we can, but have you ever really considered them or took time to watch what they are doing?

Randomness

I was watching some ants the other day. Well, I will be truthful. I saw a couple ants in my house, and I tried to get rid of it. It didn’t work immediately, and I found myself wondering why. I tried some bug spray, a few organic household remedies, and even asked a few people their suggestion. Nothing seemed to work. They were in a spot close to a chair in my house, never really deviated from the area too much, but I found myself watching what they were doing.

They seemed scattered. At first there was just the one heading off in some random direction. And before long there was two, then three, then a few more. They really seemed to be very individual. I didn’t notice much except they seemed to have no pattern to their direction. One would go this way, turn a couple wavy motions and seem to end up back where he started. Another took off in a different direction, and seemed to be going in a circle somewhat.

Remember, I was trying to kill them. So I would try some spray and when that didn’t work, some vinegar was suggested from a friend. Tried that, it did get a couple of them, but before long they were back and seemed to be more of them than before. But they all seemed to be going every which way with no direction. Just random patterns on the floor made by these tiny creatures. They didn’t really seem to have a purpose.

Purpose Driven

Surely there must be some specific thing they do. It does seem like they are going in no specific direction, but they can’t really all be headed no where can they? Maybe they just didn’t find what they were looking for, so they went somewhere else.

It made me think about our walk with God. Many times we see people enter our sanctuaries, come a few times, and then  they don’t seem to come back. In our daily lives we probably appear like we have no purpose. Sure, we go to work, buy groceries at the supermarket, look for clothes in the mall, but we can seem to all be individuals with no specific purpose just going through life.

We too, regardless of our faith and foundation, if we do not find what we are looking for, will go off in some other direction. Looking for something we haven’t found yet. Just like the ant, we do have a purpose, and we will keep looking until we find it.

The Purpose

Today, I saw an ant again. I thought I had gotten rid of them the other day, but apparently not. But this ant instead of roving along in some random direction was attempting to carry a piece of something. I looked closer and it must have been a small piece of a chip or a cracker he found somewhere. I really don’t know where. The place where the ants have been is tiled floor. I do my best to keep my house clean, so where that came from I don’t know. But this ant was trying to get the crumb of food from wherever he found it to somewhere else.

It was bigger than him by at least 5 or 6 times, and so it would move slightly, and then I would see him come around to the other side and it would move a bit of a different direction.

In a space of about ten minutes, that crumb went about six inches. Now, in relation to our size, that is remarkable. I don’t think any of us could move a car by ourselves a mile. Especially, if it didn’t have wheels.

But then I saw a big change. All of a sudden the ant had company. Not just one ant anymore but about ten.

They grasped onto the crumb that the one ant was trying to move. And it began to move again. Only this time they were moving much faster and working together to make it happen.

Unity

We all know that there is strength in numbers. Yet many times, we leave the work to one or two, and the rest of us just reap the benefits. This ant was moving a morsel of food from where he found it to his home. Where all the other ants are. It wasn’t just for his use but for all of them. And no, I do not know where they are all going. It is somewhere unseen, I have looked diligently. But the point is, when the one needed help instead of the randomness of their actions usually, they came together for one common purpose.

They were unified to get that food source back to their home so that they can all partake of it. How do they communicate? I have no idea. It seems in this age of technology, if our battery goes dead on our cell phone we are completely lost. I have seen people sit side by side and text each other back and forth, instead of talking. I guess it is still communication, but ants do not have cell phones do they? Yet they find a way to communicate.

Communication

Unity is good. The ants were swiftly moving the crumb from the place I first noticed it, to where it needed to be for the best use. Ants have six legs if I remember science. Yet, sometimes it can be hard for us to get where we are supposed to be with two.

Yet, here were several ants, each with six legs, which you would think would slow them down, (three legged races are not fast, try it) but they somehow were working in complete harmony together to move a foot or two very rapidly.

There had to be some form of communication that had a purpose. They didn’t question it. They worked together to achieve a common goal.

I wonder how different our own personal lives, our churches, our cities would be if we could come together for one common purpose and work together without division?

Would we be able to get our focus together and act as one unit? Or would we still be scattered and traveling in some seemingly random direction, when we are all still seeking the same goal?

Focus

Yes, I still plan to get rid of the ants. I need to. I realize that I do not want my home filled with ants, but for the moment I left them alone. Crazy? Perhaps, considering I will find a way for them to not find them again where they are. But, they were united in a common goal, and they were using the resources they had available to them to achieve it.

I don’t know what communication looks like to an ant. Do they talk? Print pamphlets? Have mental telepathy? Not really sure, but they roam around looking for something, and when they find it, they come together with a common purpose. They have a focus.

Unlike them, many of us seem not to be focused. Just going through life. Our ministries also reflect this.  Sure, we do ‘our thing.’ But we keep going in some random direction trying to achieve the same goal without using what is available to us.

Do we get so focused on what we are doing that we don’t look for help to make the job easier? Or is it just that we don’t communicate well enough?

Tools

Yes, we have our Bibles. Some of us actually read them, and we attempt to share the word with those we meet. We come together once, or maybe a couple more times a week to focus on our purpose but the rest of the time, we seem just to be heading in random directions.

There are methods of communication available but most of us are so used to doing in the same way we always did, and even though it hasn’t worked as well as it could have, we keep going in the same random path.

We need focus. We need communication. We need tools.

We need to reach people where they are. So, where are they?

Nearly every home in the United States has at least one or two cell phones. Most of the phones have options to look  up information on the internet, or are connected through Twitter or Facebook.

Did you know that almost every home has at least one computer, and most homes have two or more? Even some of the most economically depressed areas of our communities has access to a computer at a library or school, if they don’t have a computer in their home.

Yet, only one, out of about fifty apostolic churches has a presence online. Yes, I will repeat that again. 1 in 50 apostolic churches are online.

Considering?

I am not saying you do not reach people, but you are missing a big segment of the population in your area. We head here and there, and do make some change, but we are moving slow, when we could be reaching the people where they are. And we could do it twenty-four hours a day.

Studies indicate that businesses are losing 75% of their business by not having a website online. Can you imagine that? They are only reaching 25% of their potential if they do not use a resource that really is available to all of us.

It works for ministries too. Imagine if you were reaching 75% more people than you are now?

Those who decide to take advantage of the tools available; website, Twitter, Facebook, have repeat business of 43% of those who come visit them.

Think about that in relation to your ministry.  If you reached 75% more people, and 43% became full time members of your church, how big of an impact would that have on your community? How many more people could be reached if your church was 43% bigger right now? Working together in unity, just how effective could your ministry be?

The ants achieved their purpose by working together. Individuals? Yes, but they knew how to use the resources and capabilities together to achieve a common goal. No longer just random hits here and there but accomplished task.

Consider the Ant.

If you are interested in talking to us about how having a website, social media account, or other services that will help impact your ministry we invite you to contact us. We can help you bring your resources together in one place to achieve the goals you have.

You can reach us by contact here.

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God Bless You!

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.

Usually most of the information I post on this blog has to do with graphic design and web design for ministries. However, this past week I was privileged to watch some of the IMPACT Conference online.

The messages were very inspiring. On Thursday night, July 28, 2011, Jeff Arnold was the featured speaker. I have to say, I have heard him preach many times, but that night was the most anointed message I have heard from him ever, and the best message I have heard from anyone in quite some time.

He preached on miracles and healings, and the reasons we do not get what we need from God. I felt the anointing so strong over the computer. Several times, he said God told him he would show himself if he could get the people to believe the message.

At the end of his message, there were people flocking to the altar and healings were taking place. Bro. Arnold collapsed, and died.

Several people there, as well as paramedics worked on him. The following message is Bro. Arnold in his own words today.  Yes, God raised him back up.

UPDATE JULY 31, 2011 2:25 PM

This morning was Rev. Jeff Arnold’s 30th Anniversary of being pastor of The Pentecostals of Gainesville. The following video is Bro. Arnold talking about the experience.

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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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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!

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!

Recently I have become surprised at the lack of desire for many churches to get involved in online ministry.  Maybe they do not understand that we are in the end of days and we must do anything we can to reach the lost.

Or perhaps they have heard so many negative stories about the internet that they have decided there is no one worth reaching online? I really do not know but somehow we have to reach the lost.

Jesus taught the disciples to become shepherds and in a parable he described going after that one lost sheep rather that just accepting those that were already in the sheepfold. Yet in seems in today’s churches, we are content with those that we have and don’t seem necessarily interested in reaching beyond our four walls to win those that are not already inside the gate.

There also seems to be a great lack of compassion and desire to extend a hand to those that are hurting or have strayed from the flock. I have heard comments myself that ‘they know where the church is.’

It seems we have forgotten the most important commandments. Love the Lord thy God with all they heart , and love thy neighbor as thyself. Something has to change or not only will those who are hurting be lost forever, but so might we.

Jesus in a parable taught about being given talents, and one servant hid his talent because he knew if he lost what he had, the master would be very upset. However, the master was very wroth with him because instead of sharing what he had, even if he lost it, he became so fearful, and so content in keeping it to himself that he didn’t even try to share what he had.

Have we become like that unjust servant? Are we keeping the message to ourselves? Are we so apathetic about what we believe that we do not think it is important to even be nice anymore?

I was in the hospital recently, and I know there were several people who were asked to come see me by my mother, and yet, only one person of those she invited came. Why is that? Did they think I no longer believed in God because I do not hang out with them? Was it that they were just so busy with life that they couldn’t talk a few moments out of their day to reach out to a friend? Or is it just that they didn’t care at all.

I know some would say well they prayed for me. I do appreciate that, but how is that not like the Levite in the good Samaritan story Jesus taught about? He too was on his way to church and didn’t have time to reach out to the man that was wounded by thieves and robbers. I am sure he prayed for him but his work of God was more important than reaching out to the hurting. However, I have already forgiven them. It doesn’t matter that they didn’t come. I am not the judge.

So what is the reason really that we do not seem to reach out to others anymore?

Do we not know how? Are we blinded by so much of life that we just don’t see the way to do it anymore? Are we just lazy? Do we think it costs too much to reach into our community? Why don’t we use the tools we have already? Why are our churches filled with empty seats?

Have we lost the vision?

Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18

The suggestion that we have no vision or we have lost the burden makes many of us hot under the collar. How dare you suggest that I don’t care about people! I go to church, I say my prayers, I give to missions.

Somehow, many think that what we do on a church pew determines the validity of our Christianity. We think that because we are active in our church that we have no other function to being a christian. Did not Jesus say to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature? Have we really figured that because we drop a dollar in an offering bucket that somehow we are covered when it comes to reaching the lost? “I gave to missions because someone has to go win those overseas, but I cannot.” We think missions stops there. The vision doesn’t though.

On a daily basis we see more people than the average missionary sees. In our jobs there are people who once came to our church. At Wal-Mart we bump into our neighbors but somehow we no longer seem to act as if we have time for each other. How have we become so busy in our lives that the vision of reaching the lost, the hungry, the needs of our generation doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

I don’t know how to do it

The way we used to do it still works. You talk to them, you invite them for coffee, or perhaps you visit a sick person in the hospital. I don’t know if anyone hands out tracts anymore, or even knocks doors other than Mormons and Jehovah’s witnesses, but why don’t we? Are we afraid of what people might say? Or has the message lost its impact on our own lives that we just don’t share anymore?

Well, if there was an easier way I would do it. Yet, there is and many don’t even try. What am I talking about?

Did you know there are half a billion people on Facebook? That is a number that none of us could count to by mouth. And even if we could it would take years to do so. Most of us, whether we admit it or not, are on Facebook. But we only upload photos, or play inane games, and we do not somehow see it as a witnessing tool for God.

Yet, it takes less than five minutes to set up a page for your church or ministry to be online on Facebook. Sure, you may need to add some pretty photos or other information later, but it doesn’t take a lot of work to make an active Facebook page for your church. If you can play Farmtown, you can get your ministry’s message on the most popular social network in the world.

How about having your own church website?

We cannot afford a church website

You can, if you would only investigate that as a positive influence in your community. Most designers give discounts to churches and charities, but even still there are free options available online. The problem seems to be that everyone thinks it is so hard, or out of their budget that they are content in keeping things the way they always do. Yet, they miss huge amounts of potential saints because they simply think they can’t.

How long has it been since you advertised in your local newspaper? Did you know that in most newspapers they have a special section for churches or religion and generally,  funeral homes pay for ads that include a local church register? You don’t even have to pay, you just have to ask to be included. Do people even know where your church is? Do they know you exist?

Well, we are in the phone book.

Four out of five people turn immediately to the internet when trying to find a business or church. If you have a phone number chances are you are on the internet on a search engine, but your content is buried under the other churches because they have a website. I dare say if you searched for a church online with your zip code, you would find that nearly every church in town but your own has a site of their own. Why don’t you?

This is the age of technology and we don't think twice to using our cell phones, or emailing and yet, the most important thing in our life, being a christian, gets buried because we simply think that we don’t have what it takes to share. Or is it that we want to keep it all to ourselves?

Pastors, you preach every week to those on your pews, but even the time you spend writing, studying, or whatever you do to get prepared, those same notes and thoughts could be in a blog online reaching those who never will hear elsewhere. Are they important to you? Or is it someone else's job?

Blogs typically are free. You just sit and write just the same as you do in your documents when you are preparing a message. You might even have your church copy the messages to DVD for sale. You could be uploading those messages in a podcast that will reach people you may never see. Yes, there are free options for that as well. And even if you do not record your messages, most cell phones have a mic built in where you can record messages, your computer has a built in mic and recording potential, and there are lots of free software options. I even know of one podcast option where you can call a phone number, talk and record, and it automatically uploads your message online.

So, yes, even the most computer illiterate person can use the technologies of the internet to reach to others. Not knowing how isn’t an excuse anymore.

Catch the Vision

We just need to catch the vision of the lost.

What mother or father, if their house caught on fire, even at their own peril would not run into the rooms and try and get their children out? Yet, our world is destined for hell and we have so many ways to reach them, and we don’t.

Jesus said to go into the highways, hedges, and get the halt, the blind, the lame and bring them that my house might be full. We are to reach the world, and we even display graphics in our church that spout out our dogma of the whole gospel to the whole world, and yet, millions don’t know. I dare say that even your next door neighbor doesn’t know what you believe, Pastor, but he could, if you were online spreading the gospel. And it is free.

If you need help catching the vision contact us. We can tell you many other ways to share your message before it really is too late. God Bless You!

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.

You have a ministry, you feel the calling, and now you need to get an online presence. You know you want a website, but what about a domain name?

Our first instinct is not to worry about a website when we first get our ministry going. However, we live in a much different era than our grandparents, and being online is  becoming increasingly more important. 

In the past most churches were started by door knocking, a preacher who had a burden for a city, and  some sort of place hold services. We met people on the job, on the streets, in the supermarkets, and told them about God, but they came to know him, and us, by coming to church.

While for the most part that is still true, we are a society that wants information now. We don’t want to wait, and frankly there are so many similar names for churches these days, the church down the street may have a similar name as your church, and they may not believe the way you do.

There are varying levels of what Pentecost is about, and depending on the particular church, it can be a big shock if you expect holy rollers, and find that Pentecost is just the name on the building. And did you know that there are apostolic catholic churches? So, just putting up a banner, or even just saying we are the church by the ice cream shop is not enough anymore.

However, most of our world is online now. And most of us do research, at least somewhat, before we even buy furniture, let alone determine our soul’s destiny. We want to know what we are getting into. The best way to do this is to have a website for your ministry. Not only can you differentiate between who you are, and who the church down the block is, but you can more easily be identified with others who believe the same, you can let people know what to expect, you can sell books and media, and most importantly, you can give them the best directions with a map. You do not have to say our church is by the ice cream store followed by a myriad of directions.

Choosing your domain name is just as important.

The fact is, millions of domains are sold each day for websites that may never happen, as well as those that are created and uploaded. And if your ministry already has a name, then most likely you want that name for your website.

If you get lucky, or have purchased a domain when you first got a burden, then you are set. Your email can be pastor@yourdomainname.com instead of pastor122344@wherever.com.

That already makes you more identified with your church on your business cards, phone book, newspaper, or just in person. It lets everyone know that is how you are identified. They have your email and so they know you are a pastor, and when they have a need that they believe you can help with, whether it be advice, a funeral, wedding, or anything of spiritual needs, they have a way to get in touch with you directly, and that will influence their decision on who to contact.

Plus, whether you have a full blown website with media downloads, bible studies, and just about anything else you can imagine, or just one page with your church name, address, and phone number, people can find you on their cell phone or computer by going to that domain.

It makes it much easier for them to FIND YOU.

You do have to realize though that the domain name you want, may already belong to someone else. This happens quite a bit even to large businesses, let alone other ministries that are similar.

So what then?

The simplest idea is to add another word to your domain name. Instead of just using churchname.com, add thechurchofyourcity.com or other variations. Sometimes, you can get lucky by using just the initials of your church name followed by your city name, and it would be easy for anyone to remember.

Another option is changing the first level domain. First level domains are the ones we all know. The .com, .net, .org, etc. are called first level domains. Typically, most churches, ministries, and organizations opt for the .org on their domain names, but these days most any of the others are also options you can consider.  The top three everyone has heard of, but there are many other options available, from .cc, .us, .info, .me, .tv, and many more. Some domains may cost a different amount to use, but it won’t take long that people know your domain name and identify you with it.

Tell them how to find you, and in doing so, help them find Jesus!

Want to see if your chosen domain is available? You can check out here on godaddy. Click here! I choose godaddy.com because I have found them to be easy to work with, affordable, and reliable in my own dealings.

That's right! Between Sept 1, 2010 and Oct 31, 2010,  you have the chance to win a FREE website for your ministry, church, or non-profit. There are many churches, evangelists, and even apostolic musicians and artists that have no online presence. Maybe you want a special website for your church youth group or choir?

In celebration of our new website redesign, as well as the launch of this new blog, we are offering a FREE website and hosting for one year for the lucky winner.

We have also launched a Facebook page as well, where you can find out more information. Also by liking our page on Facebook you can receive a discount on all your graphic design needs.

We are also offering other prizes for those that enter the contest.

It isn’t hard to enter. Only three real steps to being on your way to having a professionally designed website for your church or ministry.

1. Join the apostolicsconnected group on Facebook.
2. “Like” apostolicvision design services on Facebook.
3. And, submit a 30 second to two minute digital video of why your church or ministry needs a website; or a video describing how a website can help ministries, churches, and non-profits to grow.

That's all it takes.

Maybe your church or ministry already has a website, but you know of a small church that needs one? You are welcome to give your prize to them, however it cannot be sold, and the website will be started in November, so we will have to get the contact information as soon as possible.

Enter the contest today and let’s make a greater impact for God online!

Click here for Official Rules & Prizes!