Founder & Editor-in-Chief Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com VP of Operations Michael Hewitt - mike@ccmag.com
Applying Tomorrow’s Technology to Today’s Ministry Volume 23
June 2011
No. 6
7 cover story
Christian Computing Hall of Fame
By Steve Hewitt
Contributing Editors Dr. J.D. “Doc” Watson Lauren Hunter Terry Wilhite Yvon Prehn Nick Nicholaou Kevin A. Purcell C. Brian Smith Russ McGuire Drew Goodmanson Bradley Miller Michael Curylo Copy Editor Gina Hewitt
3 editorial
Who Reads Christian Computing Magazine?
Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com
Corporate Home Office
9 who reads christian computing magazine
Mailing address: PO Box 319 Belton MO 64012 Delivery address: 311 Manor Dr. Belton, MO 64012 Phone: (816) 331-8142 FAX: 800-456-1868
10 ACS ideas to impact
© Copyright 2010 by Christian Computing®, Inc.
4 press releases
Does Your Giving Take a Dive with Summer Vacations?
from ACS Technologies
12 accelerating the dynamic church When Ministry Happens
from Fellowship Technologies
14 parishsoft’s catholic connection
Why Online Giving Holds the Key to a Healthier Offertory
17 logos cms
The Annual Report
from ParishSOFT by Tony Ferraro
19 higher power with kevin
Accordance Bible Study Software for the Mac User
Kevin A. Purcell - kevin@kevinpurcell.org
23 nick at church
Protecting IT from Disasters
28 big ministry - small resources Why Not Ask?
30 the power and the danger
By Bradley Miller - bradley.w.miller@gmail.com
The Power and Danger of Location Data
32 ministry communication
Nick Nicholaou - nick@mbsinc.com
By Russ McGuire - russ.mcguire@gmail.com
Heaven too Soon - Why We Need More than Multi-media Worship
Yvon Prehn - yvon@effectivechurchcom.com
All Rights Reserved
Christian Computing® is a registered trademark of Christian Computing, Inc. Written materials submitted to Christian Computing® Magazine become the property of Christian Computing®, Inc. upon receipt and may not necessarily be returned. Christian Computing® Magazine reserves the right to make any changes to materials submitted for publication that are deemed necessary for editorial purposes. The content of this publication may not be copied in any way, shape or form without the express permission of Christian Computing®, Inc. Views expressed in the articles and reviews printed within are not necessarily the views of the editor, publisher, or employees of Christian Computing® Magazine, or Christian Computing, Inc.
Articles that are highlighed are provided by our partners www.ccmag.com/2007_03/2007_03editorial.pdf
Christian Computing® Magazine
June 2011
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editorial
Who Reads Christian Computing Magazine? Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com Over one thousand of our readers have joined the new online community, and about 25% have filled in some of the basic information contained in their profile. Thank you! It is exciting to see people begin joining communities and make new contacts. From the data we have gained from those that have filled out their profile, the number one title that best represents our readership is “IT Director”, followed by “Church Staff Member” and “Pastor”. Ninety percent have marked they are decision makers for their church or ministry when it comes to purchasing new computer software, hardware or services. Remember, for those that fill out their profile, your names will be entered into a drawing that will be held on August 15th. We will be awarding 3 Apple TV’s (donated by Fellowship One) and $300 worth of gift cards (donated by ParishSOFT). We will continue to have drawings and great gifts to award our most active members, and once you have registered and filled out your profile, you will always be entered into the newest drawings. Please fill in your bio! We want to start a regular article each month here in CCMag highlighting “Who reads CCMag?” However, the most important part needed is the info you add to your bio in your profile. Many people filled out their profile, even adding their picture, but have been leaving the bio empty. What should you put in your bio? Information to help each of us know each other better. What do you like? What are your interests? Do you use Mac or Win computers? What about mobile devices? Do you have a smart phone or tablet? Which one? Tell us a little about yourself so we can get to know you! For example, if you like to take digital photos, put that down in your bio and others with the same interest can then request you as a contact and can turn to you later if they have a question or learned a cool new technique! We want to feature one reader each month. We will share their interests, what communities they have joined, etc., but the information in the bio is what makes it all interesting! If you update your profile and fill out your bio, drop me a note! I want to get a peek into who reads CCMag! Special Note - Our mobile apps are now ready, and we made an announcement a couple of weeks ago in a special email. However, we didn’t do a very good job in making it clear WHERE you need to go to get the apps. If you are an iPhone user, go to iTunes or the app store. If you are an Android user, go to the Marketplace. If you are a Blackberry user, go to the Blackberry Appworld. The important thing to note is you need to search for Mobile Membership (not Christian Computing) to find the app. Look for an ad in this month’s issue with more information. Together We Serve Him
Christian Computing® Magazine
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Press Releases Fellowship Technologies®, part of Active Network™, Recommends UpperRoom Technologies for Custom Development Fellowship Technologies, a newly acquired business unit of Active Network and the developers of Fellowship One® church management software, recommends UpperRoom Technologies (URT) as its preferred development firm for church partners looking to build custom applications or connect third party applications to Fellowship One. “We look forward to helping current and future Fellowship One church partners take their ministries to the next level,” said UpperRoom Technologies CEO Andy Ivankovich. “In many ways, a church’s website is the front door to their ministry. Churches need more than fancy graphics and the latest trends in design – they need an effective strategy to reach people on the web – which we can help them accomplish.” The new partnership will allow Fellowship Technologies to extend the power of Fellowship One church management software to its business partners and churches. UpperRoom Technologies has advanced expertise in Fellowship One software and is uniquely qualified to leverage this knowledge through their breadth of technologies and disciplines including custom application development in multiple languages, development maintenance and service, live video streaming and sermon audio and video archiving. “Fellowship Technologies recognizes that there are many options available to churches when it comes to customizing applications and we want to empower our church partners to successfully integrate their initiatives with Fellowship One,” said Jeff Hook, general manager of Fellowship Technologies. “We feel confident that UpperRoom Technologies provides the best development capabilities for our users.” Fellowship One is the leading 100% web-based church management software used by ministries around the world. The product now supports over 1,800 church and non-profit organizations. FellowChristian Computing® Magazine
ship One and related church management assets were acquired by Active Network from Dallasbased Fellowship Technologies L.P. in February 2011. More information about Fellowship One and API resources are available at http://developer.fellowshipone.com. About UpperRoom Technologies UpperRoom Technologies has developed a dynamic team and a proven process specifically devoted to technology development in the Christian space. They are focused on bringing leading-edge technology to Christian ministries, non-profit organizations and the church. With years of working with churches and ministries they have gained a unique insight into the world of kingdom driven technology. In four years of operation, UpperRoom Technologies has already established itself as an emerging player within both Christian and secular arenas partnering with large organizations, leading Christian writers, and churches around the world. For more information about UpperRoom Technologies please visit http://uroomtech.com/.
The Active Network, Inc.
The Active Network, Inc. is the leading provider of organization-based cloud computing applications serving diverse market segments including business events, community activities, outdoors and sports. Our technology platform, ActiveWorks®, transforms the way organizers manage their activities and events by automating online registrations and streamlining other critical management functions, while also driving consumer participation to their events. Our flagship media property, Active.com, is the leading online community for people who want to discover, participate in, and share activities about which they are passionate. Headquartered in San Diego, California since 1999, the company has over 25 offices worldwide. To learn more, visit us on the web: Corporate site: www.ActiveNetwork.com, consumer site: www.Active.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ActiveNetwork, http:// twitter.com/#!/Active June 2011
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Press Releases Facebook: www.facebook.com/active#!/Activecom About Forward-Looking Statements The Active Network, Inc. cautions you that the statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Any such statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. More detailed information about The Active Network, Inc. and the risks and uncertainties that may affect the realization of these forward-looking statements is set forth in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These filings may be read free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and The Active Network, Inc. undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. © 2011 The Active Network, Inc. All rights reserved. Active.com, Fellowship Technologies and Fellowship One are registered trademarks of The Active Network, Inc. Active Network is a trademark of The Active Network, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
IconCMO goes Lite on June 28th!
Icon Systems, Inc. and Italic Software will be releasing the IconCMO Lite iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch application on June 28th, bringing directory and group information to a mobile device near you! We are excited to bring this increased functionality to the church leaders, staff, and congregation. As always stay updated with recent developments by following us on Twitter, Facebook, or Blog. You can also sign up via RSS feed to our blog to stay updated with new developments, tips, and post from our president, development team and techniChristian Computing® Magazine
cal support. Icon Systems, Inc., 1100 32nd Ave S, Moorhead, Minnesota 56560 http://www.iconcmo. com
Summer Training Video Series by Effective Church Communications The entire year is busy and challenging for church communicators, but one advantage of the summer is that there aren’t the big holidays that seem to overwhelm the church calendar like Christmas and Easter. With that in mind, summer can be a great time to either brush up on some of your skills in church communications or learn new ones. To help you do that, Effective Church Communications has created a series of online video training seminars for church communicators. They will be released one per week through from June 13 until August 29 and will cover all the skills necessary for church communicators from the Biblical foundation, big picture of church communications and planning, to the skills of writing, design, selecting and modifying images, choosing production systems and producing your materials for print, the web and social media. The videos will be accessible to beginners, but will also contain material that will challenge and tell those who have done communications in the church for some time, but who need updates, tips, and inspiration to be more effective in their work. Additional resources with each online video In addition to the training videos themselves, all the video topics will come with a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation used in the video for note-taking, plus additional resources lists, and links to associated materials including ebooks, templates, readyto-print materials and related online videos. All of the material will be taught from respectful, Bible-based viewpoint that balances the reality that if the Lord does not bless our communications, they will accomplish nothing of eternal value, while at the same time knowing that we must sharpen our skills to be as proficient as we can for the Master’s use. June 2011
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Press Releases If you want the materials on CDs for review or sharing, the videos will be available along with associated materials, PDFs, related videos, etc. for sale on www.lulu.com/yvonprehn. You do not need to sign up ahead, or schedule a live training session (with all the attendant problems) the videos will be available on the dates listed below and will be available 24/7 from then on for Effective Church Communications Members. For Christian Computing Readers: SPECIAL OFFER for Effective Church Communication Membership: 25% off either your first month or your first year membership fee. The renewal price will be the regular price of $9.99 a month or $99 a year. To get the discount, enter the code: SUMMERTRIAL on the sign up forms available at: http://www.effectivechurchcom.com/membership/ Coupon code can be used until 8-01-2011. Schedule for: Online Video Training Course: The Basics of Effective Church Communications, strategy, skills, resources http://www.effectivechurchcom.com/2011/06/thebasics-of-effective-church-communications-strategy-skills-resources/ Following are the topics for each week. The videos will range in length from 20-60 minutes, some have more than one video, plus associated notes and other materials will be available with each topic. June 27: Planning for Successful Church Communications, including how to use forms that guarantee successful events and accountability July 4: Channel Selection: Print, PowerPoint, Web, Social Media, including the benefits and limitations of each one, plus why multi-channel communication requires a team July 11: Write, edit, proof your message, including strategies for both print and web writing to guarantee that people will read and respond to your message Christian ComputingŽ Magazine
July 18: Production considerations and the importance of final output in your choice of design, images, colors, including advice on print systems at your church and online, plus a free PDF creation software overview July 25: Illustrate your message with clipart, images, illustrations, including resources for fantastic free ones August 1: Modify your illustrations, Photoshop effects without Photoshop, including overviews of free and low-cost software to manipulate illustrations, images and photographs August 8: Typography, terminology, rules, tips on one of the most powerful and least understood communication tools, including how to make the most of it in print or the web August 15: Design your communications and what that really means for church communicators, including choosing your tools with a focus on MS Publisher and PowerPoint, including the effective use of both of them August 22: Websites and Social media, how to use them in a church setting, including what you need to learn and how to learn it August 29: Evaluation & Endurance, how to be honest with yourself about the true effect of your communications, including measurement tools and how to get the spiritual strength to keep going in your work To go to the schedule and link to individual training videos: http://www.effectivechurchcom. com/2011/06/the-basics-of-effective-church-communications-strategy-skills-resources/ For more information, contact Yvon Prehn, yvon@ effectivechurchcom.com
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cover story
Christian Computing Hall of Fame
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By Steve Hewitt
ikipedia defines a Hall of Fame -“as a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field”. While it would be hard to determine when the “field” of using computers and technology for Christian ministry first started, it is obvious that it has been several decades, and I felt it was time to establish a “Hall of Fame”. It is time we record the stories and recognize the achievements of those that laid the foundation in years past for so many of us today. Let me answer the obvious question. As founder and Editor-in-Chief of Christian Computing Magazine, I am not going to establish our industry’s Hall of Fame and then allow myself to be inducted. As long as I am still serving as Editor-in-Chief of Christian Computing Magazine, I will never be considered to be included in our Hall of Fame. My rule. Frankly, I think I would be pretty far down the list, but the rule needed to be stated. There is a growing list of men and women who made fantastic contributions, helped establish incredible products, services and companies and they need to be recognized for their service. We will seek to recognize the people, not the companies nor the products or services they helped provide. Who are they? How did they get started? Why did they decide to work in this industry? Christian Computing® Magazine
Led by myself, a nomination committee has been established to help vote on who should be included in the new Hall of Fame. The goal is to announce the first five individuals that will be included in the new Hall of Fame in the July issue of this year, and five more in the January 2012 issue. It will then be decided if the number of those inducted will be increased or decreased, or if we will only add people to the Hall of Fame once a year, or continue with adding people on a bi-annual basis. The first nomination committee will include Steve Hewitt, Walt Wilson (Founder, Global Media Outreach), Nick Nicholaou (President, Ministry Business Services), Lauren Hunter (Church Tech Today), and Kevin Purcell (Pastor and contributing editor for Christian Computing Magazine). There have already been many sugJune 2011
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gestions made to this committee, but we would like for any and all to be able to submit suggestions to the nomination committee. If the person you recommend isn’t selected the first time, they can always be considered the next time. If you would like to nominate someone for the Christian Computing Hall of Fame, visit http:// www.ccmag.com/page/index. php?pageid=32 and fill out the form. I am hopeful that we will all be blessed in hearing about people that many of us don’t know; who were leaders and an inspiration to others in using technology for ministry. Remember, the field is wide open. There might even be some that have served specific churches, denominations or ministries that we all need to know about! Once the final five have been picked by the nominating committee for the first induction in July of this year, articles will be created to tell the stories of the persons to be included in the new Hall of Fame community, as well as their inclusion in upcoming issues of Christian Computing Magazine. Several nominations are already being considered, having been nominated by the present members of the committee. Two of those being considered have already passed away, increasing the significance of why such a Hall of Fame needs to be established in order that others can learn from their sacrifice and contributions to the Christian/church computing industry.
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who reads ccmag
Who Reads Christian Computing Magazine?
(Each month, we will feature a reader, with the information found from their profile at www.ccmag.com)
WHO:
Carol Barling BIO:
I have a long and rich history in both the secular and religious realms spending a decade in the banking industry, a decade in education, a decade in the private sector as Co-Owner of an educational clinic, and half a decade working in churches in both paid and volunteer capacities. My educational credentials include an MBA with an emphasis in Information Technology. My leisure pursuits include sky diving, white water rafting, photography, and reading.
Job History: First Presbyterian Church Business Administrator Bakersfield, CA, United States October 2007 - present
Carol has joined five communities:
• What’s Hot and What’s Not - In this community, Steve Hewitt posts short news blasts whenever there is breaking news in the area of technology.
Christian Computing® Magazine
• Online Giving - This community is for discussions and information pertaining to online giving, either via a website or through the use of mobile devices and tablets. • ACS Technologies - The official community page for ACS Technologies. • ServiceU - ServiceU helps churches, schools and nonprofits simplify, automate, and move functions online, such as giving, scheduling, ticketing, and climate control. • Church Communications, Print & Digital - This is Yvon Prehn’s community, in support of her monthly column in CCMag. Carol has been a member of the NACBA (National Association of Church Business Administration) and is a decision maker for her church when purchasing new software, hardware or computer services. Carol has a couple of contacts. If you have things in common with Carol, make a connection!
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ACS
ACS ideas to impact
Does Your Giving Take a Dive with Summer Vacations?
I
from ACS Technologies
t’s a common problem: Families are busy during the summer months. The kids are out of school, and it’s time to hit the road and take a family vacation. There’s a lot for people to remember before they leave town. There are packing lists, pet-sitters, and don’t forget to hold the mail and the newspaper! You probably know that one item on the to-do list that often gets forgotten is the church offering. Even families that are usually solid givers — families that have every intention of tithing regularly — can forget to mail a check before they leave town. What happens at most churches during the summer is that giving dips drastically, making budgeting and monthly operations difficult. There is hope. Many churches have begun to unlock the key to smoothing out giving year-round and avoiding that dive in giving come summer. Read real-life examples and concrete tips on increasing giving at your church—and increasing the consistency of giving, even during the summer—by downloading the ministry guide ““Five Sundays: the Power of Online Giving.” The ministry guide outlines in detail advice from experts like Brian Kluth, who says 95 percent of church offerings were received in cash less than 100 years ago, and the remaining 5 percent was given by check. Today another financial transition is taking place—nearly three out of five people in the U.S. handle at least part of their financial lives through electronic transactions such as direct deposits, electronic fund transfers, or online payments. As society begins to deal less with cash and more with credit cards, the use of these electronic methods is expected to continue growing in the coming years. The guide also delves into information from recent studies, including data pulled together by Network for Christian Computing® Magazine
Good that have discovered some surprising insights about online donors: • Online donors are generous. While the causes aren’t entirely clear, online donors give significantly more than offline donors. • Online donors tend to be younger than offline donors. The median age of online donors is 38; median age of offline donors is 60. If you don’t offer online giving, you may be missing out on the contributions of an essential segment of your church. • The majority (52 percent) of online donors are female. This follows closely in line with findings that show that women make 84 percent of all charitable donations. • Some churches report that 15-30 percent of their total giving now comes from online giving methods. June 2011
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The guide “Five Sundays: the Power of Online Giving” outlines many options for moving money from the Internet to your church. One-time gifts, contributions from members and non-members, event payments and more are all described. It is largely through recurring gifts that many organizations have found more giving consistency throughout the year than they ever thought possible. If your church or organization makes it easy for contributors, many of them are happy to make their tithes and offerings automatic. The guide also describes how some churches have used online giving to make it easier than ever for your members and non-members to give when disaster strikes, and their hearts are moved to reach out to those in need. We’ve all seen the stories of floods, tornadoes and hurricanes in this country in recent months, and many churches and nonprofits are using the Web to help their constituents help those in need. “Our members love the fact they can give how and when they want with no hassles – on vacation, in the middle of the night, on a regular basis, or making one contribution at the end of the year,” said John Scibilia, Parish Manager at St. James’ Church in New York, N.Y. “No matter how they choose to give, online giving within Access ACS makes it easy to accomplish.” For more information, including a step-by-step guide for getting Online Giving within Access ACS going at your organization, download the free ministry guide “Five Sundays: the Power of Online Giving” today.
Christian Computing® Magazine
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accelerating the dynamic church
When Ministry Happens !CCELERATING 4HE $YNAMIC #HURCH¸
E
from Fellowship Technologies
veryone, it seems, has a mobile phone in their hands as they live on-the-go lives. The growth of mobile usage has a direct correlation with the reality of ministry in our communities. Mobile is where the people are and where more and more of them will be in a very short time and since ministry happens where the people are, then it makes sense for ministry to be mobile. By 2014, mobile Internet should take over desktop Internet usage, says expert analyst Mary Meeker of Morgan Stanley, citing trends for the sales of mobile web-enabled devices and the 1,100 % faster adoption rates of iPhone/iTouch to that of AOL & Netscape in the early 1990’s. This kind of trend analysis should lead churches to take a serious look at mobile solutions for their staff to reach attendees and members who will clearly be mobile-accessible. MOBILE WEB FOR CHURCHES If Google search made having an up-to-date website important, then mobile search makes the case for churches to meet their congregants and communities where they are: mobile. The firm ROI Research, focusing on people who use the mobile web at least weekly, found Christian Computing® Magazine
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that 63% of respondents said mobile search has changed the way they gather information while 80% reported weekend use. MINISTRY & MOBILE Some people limit ministry to that which happens on Sunday morning or a job for vocational pastors to do during the week. The rest of us know that ministry happens everywhere, all the time, and that as a body of believers, we are all ministers. Keeping up with the members and visitors to our local churches who are both providing and receiving ministry means we must embrace the realities of a mobile, on-the-go culture. Ministry happens everywhere, and ministry staff needs the tools to have instant, anytime, all the time information at their fingertips. A first step to mobilizing your ministry is to make the entire church database with every family member’s and every visitor’s information available, through a secure username/password, on a mobile smart phone. Being able to easily find, connect and reach out to any person involved in some way with the church is a musthave mobile tool for every church staff member. From emergency contact needs to daily interactions in and out of the church office, this kind of instant anytime, anywhere ministry reach is invaluable.
Christian Computing® Magazine
MOBILE IS NOW Mobile is not only the future; but also mobile is right now. Fortunately, this doesn’t require churches to start hiring developers to build a mobile app just for their congregants. Pastors have told us how they’ve used our free iPhone and Android apps that tie into the Fellowship One church management software to quickly search for a name and match the person’s picture with a familiar face while at a restaurant. Other pastors have used mobile apps to pull together a first response team during disasters, as Church of the Highlands recently did immediately following the tornadoes in Alabama. However your church can use mobile technology to connect, engage and serve your congregants and community, the need for anytime, anywhere ministry mobile tools is now. http://gigaom.com/2010/04/12/mary-meeker-mobile-Internet-will-soon-overtake-fixed-Internet/ http://www.performics.com/news-room/pressreleases/Performics-ROI-2011-Mobile-SearchInsights-Study/1429
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ParishSOFT
ParishSOFT’s Catholic Connection
Why Online Giving Holds the Key to a Healthier Offertory
I
Tim Dockery, ParishSOFT’s Online Giving Product Manager
from ParishSOFT
f you’re not offering members an option to give online, research shows your church could be missing a golden opportunity.
A Giving USA Foundation study released on June 20, 2011, shows that of the $290.89 billion in donations to charity last year, 35%, or a whopping $100.63 billion, went to religious organizations. Compared with 2009 data, total charitable giving from Americans rose 3.8%, with giving from individuals up 2.7% in 2010. 50%+ will give online this year Another recent study published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy projects that more than half of all donations in 2011 will be made electronically. Tim Dockery, director of business development and Online Giving product manager at ParishSOFT, said, “Having a robust online giving system is no longer an option but a necessity for churches.” The upshot for churches is simple: if you’re not offering a way for members to contribute online, you could be missing out on planned, proportionate, consistent giving from half your congregation. For the young, the old, and everyone in between One of the great myths is that online giving draws only the younger generations. Not true, say several ParishSOFT users, who report their seniors have been the first to sign up. Members in their mid-60s and older have, for Christian Computing® Magazine
the most part, educated their children and paid off their homes. And they’re already comfortable with online transactions because they manage their 401K plans and pensions online. Even the U.S. Government has gone digital: after May 1, 2011, new applicants must receive their Social Security checks electronically (in fact, they stopped offering paper checks years ago). Development consultants at the Winkler Group are well aware of the acceptance rate trends across age groups. They report more than half of donors ages 65 and older said they would make a charitable donation via the Internet. Three-fourths of people ages 35-64 said they would give online. And 86% of those under 35 prefer to give that way. Broad appeal for members Online giving systems make giving easier, and participating donors have told us in their own words exactly why they have signed up. o “You never forget! Funds are automatically withdrawn from your checking or savings account so there are no last minute trips to the ATM or writing out a check.” o “It’s all electronic, which saves time and trees!” o “You always have a record of your giving June 2011
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history—very important around tax time.” o “We have most of our other bills and expenses paid online or from our checking account, so it fits nicely into the rest of our budgeting for the month.” o “We are doing our part on a regular basis for [parish name], even when we are away visiting relatives” o “It is very convenient and we receive a reminder email in advance of each debit from our account.” o “It is a cost-saving program from the perspective of parish administration and a convenient resource for members.” Benefits for stewardship We’re called to be good stewards of our God-given treasure, so it only makes sense that as Christians, we give dependable, thoughtful financial contributions to our churches—not what’s left over. Online giving services provide members the ideal environment for this level of giving. The very act of setting up planned giving inherently lends perspective. Whether I’m giving weekly or monthly, I have a clear awareness of how my church giving compares with other spending, like utilities or dining out, and how it fits into my budget. I’m also more likely to be honest with myself about how I splurge (snobby coffee, designer shoes) and calculate an annual gift that looks like a real stewardship commitment when viewed as part of my greater overall financial picture. Studies by Charles Zech, director of the Center for the Study of Church Management at the University of Villanova, say I’m not alone. Zech reports that people who make a monthly giving commitment to their church give 40% more annually than those who give without a plan. In fact, at the 220-family St. Mary Parish in Red Oak, Iowa, Lisa Sallach reports that since offering online giving, they’ve gained what amounts to an extra week of tithes every month. If you’re doing the math in your head right now, you know what this can mean for your annual church income and ministries. Zech also reports that regular Mass-goers say they attend church 37 weekends per year. That means nearly 30% of Sundays, they’re not present to drop an envelope in the basket. For these members, and for your not-so-regular attendees, online giving can serve as another means of engaging them into a stronger relationship with your church. They’ll know their financial support always shows up on time, and that’s a connection you can use to draw them into more regular participation. For example, you might write to thank them for their contribution, and extend a personal invitation to a special church event. Better yet, have your pastor or a staff member call them and say, “We really appreciate your financial support. What’s going on in your life? What can we do for you? We’d love to have you help us with. . . .” Still personal, and much safer When you give a check to any organization, your sensitive account information is vulnerable. In fact any check your church Christian Computing® Magazine
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receives may pass through as many as eight different people during processing. Plus, each must be posted and deposited, which takes time. And funds won’t be available to your church until someone gets to the bank. With online giving systems, members set up their personal gifts and handle their own account information in a secure environment. All account processing between your bank, the member’s bank, and the payment processing agency happens beneath security layers using encrypted data, so you’ll never see their account numbers. Online giving donations post and deposit directly into your church bank account accurately and automatically, giving churches what we like to call “basket-to-bank transparency.” So not only are your online gifts available much faster, your wonderful count teams and church staff will save hours of manual adding, posting, and batch reconciling. Parishioners will know their contribution, pledge, or payment went exactly where they intended, which goes a long way toward achieving the trust needed for sustained giving over time. What every good online giving system should deliver If your church is looking for an online giving system, use the checklist below to find a system that meets the bill. o Customizable, so it carries your church colors and logo and communicates with donors using messages you can personalize o Comprehensive, so it handles pledge campaigns, offertory, all special collections, and fees o Integrated, so online gifts can flow electronically to your contribution management software o Web-based, so you can link to it from your church’s main Web site and place links in email campaigns o Self-managed and easy to use, so donors can manage their own accounts and access personal giving reports online 24x7 o Flexible giving options, so donors can give when they want, from the credit card or bank account they want o Automated notifications, so donors get payment reminders, confirmations, and expiring credit card alerts o Security through encrypted account information and data storage that meets the highest industry standards For more information on how to get started with online giving, please visit www.parishsoft.com, or contact Tim Dockery at 866-9304774 x155 or tdockery@parishsoft.com.
Christian Computing® Magazine
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LOGOS LOGOS CMS
The Annual Report
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by Tony Ferraro
here is one day that most kids dread, “Report Card Day”. Not much changes as adults. Report Card Day becomes “Employee Review Day” and it is equally dreaded. The nice thing about these days is that it forces
people to take a look back and assess their progress on their path toward their desired goal achievement. Unfortunately, most organizations do not have an “Organizational Goal Attainment Review Day”. The result, of course, is that most organizations never pause, reflect and review. Every organization, including churches, should take the time to look back and determine whether or not the core objectives are being accomplished and if the organization is on a path to produce “good fruit” in accordance with its purpose. The following is the beginning of a multi-part series I will be discussing on church management. I am often asked to help churches improve their business processes. Over the course of this series, I will be examining the process I take church leaders through in an effort to improve their organization. In this first installment, we will examine Vision and Ministry Execution. Vision Every organization must know what it is about, including churches. God said that he gives us all unique gifts, each according to our purpose. I have come to find that the same is true with churches. To some, God has clearly given the gift of hospitality; and, to others, He has provided the gift of evangelism. This is not to suggest that in every church not all gifts are present. They certainly are; however, some churches are simply more consistent in their DNA as to their strengths. As such, it is important for a church to understand what it exists to do in its local community. It is equally important for staff and members to understand that cause. Take for example, Sandals Church in Riverside, California. Sandals is about “Being Real with Ourselves, Others & God.” The right questions to ask would be (1) “What does it mean to be real?”; (2) “What does it mean to be real in our relationships with God?”; (3) “What does it mean to be real in our relationships with others?”
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and so on. The purpose of these questions is to examine the benchmark, “are we on the same page”? Does everyone in the organization understand what our vision means? Are we using a common set of vocabulary? Depending on how these questions are answered, it can be determined whether or not the organization is moving in the same direction and committed to the same cause. If staff members are not clear on direction, they will find their own and their direction may be off base from the direction of the organization. Clarity is King! How does the pastor do at casting this vision to the church? Are there any areas that have more focus than others? The purpose of this question is to determine whether the vision is clear to the flock. Additionally, as the congregation interprets the vision, is any part emphasized at a higher degree than others. This is important as it helps to clarify whether or not the intention of the leader is being clearly communicated. If one area is emphasized over others, there may be a tendency to de-emphasize other areas resulting in staff also not putting as much emphasis in those areas. Finally, when juxtaposed against vision casting to staff, if a lack of consistency can be found, it will affect morale and overall direction. Additionally, how does the pastor do at casting this vision to the staff? Are there any areas that have more focus than others? The purpose of this question, quite simply, is to determine if there is organizational consistency. “Are we living what we’re preaching?” A lack of consistency can lead to significant morale disruption. It can tell followers that the leader does not “eat his own dog food”, i.e. he does not really believe it.
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Ministry Execution Sunday teaching is ministering to the present body, but it is not a ministry that the body can do. In the case of Sandals, “Real with ourselves, God and others” is not a ministry, it is an objective, much like salvation is not a ministry it is a objective. For salvation, evangelism is the “go do” ministry. What is your church’s “Go Do” ministry? If a pastor’s primary passion is evangelism, he is preaching evangelism on Sundays and thinking, breathing, eating evangelism all week. People are challenged and equipped on Sundays to win share Christ and encourage baptism. The pastor cannot stop talking to people about a call to Jesus and encouraging others to do the same. A ministry of evangelism means actively pursuing conversations to share Christ’s gospel message and the congregation knows that because they see the pastor talk about it on Sunday and doing it throughout the week. If a pastor’s passion is extending grace, in the same way, he is encouraging it on Sunday by challenging the church to be grace-filled. In his daily life, he is seeking out opportunity to extend Christ’s grace to others. He is intentionally seeking out opportunities to share grace with the marginalized in life. How does your church body actively execute the ministry of your vision? What are the practical steps? The purpose of this question is to determine whether or not the organization understands the organizational goals. In this case, do the departments know how to execute a ministry that matches the vision? It is important for people to know how to minister to others under the vision. If paid and non-paid workers do not know how to live out the vision of the church, the church will be moving in disparate directions without focus and synergy. It will encumber the organization from meeting its goals and objectives. Additionally, it is imperative that the senior pastor engage in “ministry modeling”. Ministry Modeling means that the lead pastor is leading by example. Christ did not tell the disciples to “Go make disciples of all men” until He taught them how by His own actions. Similarly, the lead pastor cannot say, “We are a church about community outreach” and not actually participate in outreach themselves. A wise man once said, “You can teach a man all you know but they will become who you are.” Similarly, church leaders must lead out of their heart and character. While a pastor may care a lot about feeding the poor, until he feeds the poor himself, his congregation will not follow. Then, of course, the same will go for his leaders and departmental directors. They must live out the vision they are casting. Vision and Ministry Execution are the first two areas addressed when improving a church’s organization. Everything will flow out of those two elements, much like fruit from the vine. Review periods for employees or kids are always positive if we do what we say and say what we do. God has asked us to be good stewards of the gifts and talents he has provided. Taking regular assessments provide the best opportunity to see how we are doing and make necessary adjustments.
Christian Computing® Magazine
June 2011
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higher power with kevin
Accordance Bible Study Software for the Mac User
A
Kevin A. Purcell - kevin@kevinpurcell.org
s the Mac gains in popularity, many of you might be wondering if the it is ready for full-time use by pastors and Bible teachers. After 8 months, while having seen some compromises, I’ve been pleased. Sadly, Mac Bible software in general is not as mature or advanced as Windows software. What is Available I am sure that there are more Mac Bible tools out there, but the best choices I have found (in no particular order) are as follows: • Logos 4 (http://www.logos.com) • WORDsearch 9 (and Bible Explorer) (http://www. wordsearchbible.com) • Accordance 9 (http://www.accordancebible.com) • QuickVerse 2011 (http://www.quickverse.com) • Glo Bible (http://www.globible.com) • Scrolltag (http://scrolltag.com) • Eloquent 2 (formerly MacSword) (http://www. macsword.com) • Alkitab Bible Study (http://www.kiyut.com/ products/alkitab/index.html) Evaluation of the Bible Programs Available Of the above we’ve covered Logos, WORDsearch, Glo Bible, and QuickVerse in previous columns. Search our archives for reviews of these products. Scrolltag, Eloquent 2, and Alkitab are worth a look for simple needs. Eloquent 2 is the e-Sword of the Mac world and Christian Computing® Magazine
e-Sword users will be comfortable with it. Of all of the Mac Bible software, the most advanced program that is also the most stable and the fastest is Accordance. I like to say it is what would happen if Bibleworks and WORDsearch got together and designed a Mac Bible program. Looking for a powerful Mac Bible program? If you are already invested in Logos or WORDsearch, give them a try before investing in anything else. Everyone else should start looking at Accordance Accordance Bible Software For those who do have large libraries in Windows software, Accordance has a nice cross-grade program where you can get sometimes 30% off of books you already own just by proving you have them. I took advantage of this offer for a number of commentaries and books. For starters, be clear about one thing – Accordance requires a serious investment of both money and effort. 1. Accordance, like all advanced Bible software, is going to cost you money over time or up front, but either way it will cost you.
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2. Accordance requires a time investment to learn the powerful features. This is not a bicycle but an advanced sports car. Really great video tutorials are free to download at http://j.mp/khygC5 and free all day training events are available. I attended one and learned a lot. What Accordance Offers One of the hardest things to get used to with Accordance is that it is a search-centric program. Looking at the screenshot below, you will see that there is a long bar across the top of the Workspace window. In that bar, you enter search strings. Above the box is your translation drop down list. Next to that is a pair of buttons – Words/Verses. If Words is highlighted, then
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the search box is expecting search terms like “righteousness”. If Verses is highlighted you can enter a verse reference. Below the entry bar is a slider. If it is all the way to the left, the results window will only show the verses that you entry returns. If you search for grace the results will show only the verses with the word grace. Move the slide to the right and it adds a verse before and after each verse in your search hit list. That way you get the verse before and after as well as the verse that has the word grace. Keep moving to the right and it adds more of the context until it shows the entire Bible if the slider is all the way to the right. Notice across the top there are tabs for the various translations you have open. Along the left is the Library window that has a tree with the different kinds of books categorized. You can customize this list in many ways. To open a book, just go here. Along the right is a bunch of buttons that lest you open various kinds of books. It also lets you open workspaces, etc. The buttons are drop down lists. The bottom of the screen is a box that shows a lot of information based on where your mouse is. In the above screenshot, you will see the English word, the Strong’s number for that word, and the actual Hebrew word associated with whatever the mouse cursor was hovering over in the HCSB text. Finally, there is a transliteration. This box gives you basic information about words in the text if the translation you use has the original language tags. The HCSB, ESV and KJV are some of June 2011
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the translations that offer this kind of functionality. Many still do not. Once you take the time to learn the program you will find that the search functionality is as simple or advanced as you want it to be. With Accordance you can do all the basic searches without ever learning the more advanced functions. But if you will take the time to watch the videos, attend a workshop or just spend some time reading Help, you will find that it can search in so many ways. You can find a lot of details. Below is a screenshot of a Greek Construct Search we did during the workshop I attended. This search lets you find all the instances where an article and a noun as well as the article and an adjective that within 5 words of each other all agree in gender, number and case. Other programs can do this, but with Accordance you have a powerful visual search builder. It is a lot of fun just trying to figure out some cool ways to challenge the software. Accordance is easy to setup if you have a good Internet connection. The new Easy Install feature will download all of the books in your package. Accordance knows what you are supposed to have and automatically sends them to you via the Internet. It also periodically checks for updates and download them. Accordance is a fast program – the fastest opening Mac Bible program I’ve used. It’s performance is great. Searches are quick and movement within the program is fluid, something you can’t say for most of the other advanced Mac Bible programs. Accordance is not perfect. It has crashed a few times while using it. But this is typical for most of the Bible applications I’ve tested on the Mac. Accordance has a lot of great features … • Reading and searching the Bible • Bible reading • Commentaries and other Bible references like Dictionaries Christian Computing® Magazine
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• Visual tools like the maps and timeline tools both of which are very powerful and useful • Comparisons between translations, parallel books like the Gospels and more • Ability to create your own books through HTML import I was disappointed with the note taking feature and the diagramming tool. Neither of them are very useful. It handles very simple notes adequately, but advanced note editing is not present. You will want to use something else for keeping your notes. The diagramming tool is also not very good. It was hard to work with and moving text is not very smooth. Adjusting the various visual markers was frustrating. As I said in the bullet list above, I love the visual tools. The timeline is incredibly powerful and customizable. You can export segments for showing during a Bible study in which you use Keynote or PowerPoint. The Mapping tool lets you customize the look of your maps and the photo guide helps you find images related to passages. This is also great for teaching. There is a Mac widget that lets you quickly look up verses to copy into Word or Pages. A huge plus is that the company maintains a help forum that has input from developers. If you have a feature you want in the application, request it in the forums and you very well may see it in the next couple of updates. Cost and Recommendations To get started using Accordance you can get a trial version. The base package is $149 in either the Bible Study Track or the Scholar’s Track. Then packages go up from there at $100 increments. If you want go get a ton of content right from the start, try the Mega Bundle, which is “only” $1799. Once you get a base package you can add books with the various sales Accordance is always running. One month they had a Bible sale. This month they are discounting Study Bible notes add-ons. Who knows what will come in July? If you are on the fence about switching to Mac, Accordance is one good reason to take the plunge. This alone makes the switch worthwhile! You won’t be compromising good Bible study on the Mac if you check out Accordance Bible Software at www.accordancebible.com.
Christian Computing® Magazine
June 2011
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nick at church
Protecting IT from Disasters
Reprinted from CTI’s Your Church Magazine Nick Nicholaou - nick@mbsinc.com
“O
nly the flexible survive.” It’s a phrase we’ve heard— and possibly said— many times. Life is unpredictable, and challenges do come our way, so how should uncertainty affect the way we approach information technology (IT) in our churches and ministries? We are dependent on our computers today in ways we might never have imagined. We rely on them to store contact information, process financial transactions, communicate— many of the nuts and bolts that enable and hold ministry together. Therefore we should do all that is reasonable and cost-effective to protect our organizations from being shut down by a disastrous event. Planning now gives the flexibility needed for ministry survival. And in the ever-changing legal and financial regulatory landscapes, IT disaster recovery plans are even more necessary. Audits Force IT Planning Because of the role IT plays in our ministries, certified public accountants are now required to test for good IT strategies. Those familiar with CPA audits know that auditors are increasing their focus on IT issues. Even if your church doesn’t get audited, these areas are wise to address: • Management Oversight. Who is responsible for your church’s IT decisions? Chances are good you’re relying on a talented staff member, volunteer, or vendor— and that’s okay! CPAs need to see that implemented strategies they may have recommended were overseen and approved by top management. Those in top management may not have the expertise to make technical recommendations. But they have perspective of the ministry’s direction, and hopefully, a sense of whether a recommendation is a good fit for the organization by way of integrity and stewardChristian Computing® Magazine
ship. • System Security. This is an area of great importance and it must be addressed. Tackle such issues as: • Firewalls for systems that have full-time Internet connections; • server room security; and • additional policies to keep out those who should not be on the system. The most common mistake made in this area is the password policy. The corporate standard in the U.S. is to have cryptic passwords of a significant length that cannot be easily cracked. But that strategy doesn’t work well in church and ministry offices. We have found many times that those kinds of passwords are so hard to remember that most church and ministry system users write them down on a note kept under their keyboard, in their desk calendar, and so on. The better policy: Require passwords to be at least 6 characters and include all of the following: • At least one number, June 2011
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• At least one punctuation, and • At least one capital letter. We recommend using an acronym of a favorite verse or worship song. These are easily remembered, cryptic enough to not be easily hacked by an Internet program, and offer the added benefit of reminding folks of the reason they’re logging in to your system. This strategy, coupled with using the network’s Invalid Login Attempts function (we set it to lock a user account for thirty minutes after three unsuccessful login attempts), is good and effective protection. We also recommend not letting users change their passwords because most will not choose strong enough passwords, making the system vulnerable. So don’t set passwords to expire; instead, change them for users if they’ve shared theirs with someone. The policy should state that staff members are not to share their password, but that if they do, they should inform their supervisor and have the network administrator set a new one. • Record Retention. Another important area with legal ramifications involves record and data retention. Attorneys who specialize in the IT field say there isn’t a simple remedy to this policy requirement. Based on their comments, though, retention policies should address two areas: 1. Email. Email should be archived for two years unless your state requires something longer. This would satisfy most legal challenges in federal and state courts, and the most important factor is that you have a policy in place that you adhere to. 2. Files that may be necessary in pending litigation. Any files that might be subpoenaed in litigation must be archived in their original format and held indefinitely. That includes personnelrelated files, church governance files (including minutes), negotiations, and so on. Christian Computing® Magazine
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Disasters Come in All Sizes Churches could experience most any kind of disaster, and should one occur, it is good management and foresight— and the favor of the Lord— that save the day. Each of the following disasters may affect a church’s IT strategy: • Fire • Burglary or theft • Earthquake • Storm damage • Water damage from pipes • Data theft • Equipment failure Reasonable protection against these disasters does not require a NASA-sized budget! Some disasters can only be minimized by investments in hardware (like a backup system), but others can be minimized by simply having good policies in place. Keeping Things Running Having a solid backup strategy is essential, but it is not enough. Though backups address disaster recovery, they don’t address business continuity. Business continuity policies speak to how the church will survive a larger disaster, such as a fire, hurricane, tornado, or earthquake— and keep running. How will the ministry survive if one of its most important and valuable assets— its data— is no longer available? • Backup Strategy Whenever possible, it’s best to back up the entire system often, using one of the following two strategies: • 1. Nightly Tape Backup. Tape backups have improved their speed and capacity, keeping pace with the requirements of most churches and ministries. It’s best to back up the entire system every weeknight and take one backup tape off-site each week. Choose the backup tape from your heaviest processing day each week to take off-site. For instance, most churches do most of their data processing on Monday because they’re modifying the database with new members, address changes, and contributions. In those settings, it’s best to take Monday night’s tape off-site. That means asking a trusted member of management to put the backup tape in their backpack or purse every Tuesday and bring back the previous week’s Christian Computing® Magazine
tape. This inexpensive step can be very helpful for recovering data in case of a burglary or other disaster; and doing this weekly means the church never has to rebuild a system with data that is more than a week old. One precaution to consider: Because the backup information is sensitive, a church might want the person who takes the tape off-site bonded, in case something should happen to the tape and its contents while it’s in their care. There’s a lot of discussion among IT professionals about getting beyond tape technology. Some alternative choices are external hard drives and online storage. When I recently researched corporate best practices in this area, I found the majority still prefer tape because of its lower overall cost and its reliability. Very few have changed to alternative media options. My firm’s tape backup recommendation involves an external LTO4 backup drive attached to the file server via SCSI cable. Dell (our favorite hardware vendor, quote #558200935) quotes that setup for $2,018, which includes 20 backup tapes and delivery but no state or local taxes. For software, we prefer Symantec’s Backup Exec, and we’ve found the best place to buy it is Consistent Computer Bargains (800-342-4222). June 2011
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We like to configure the backups to run automatically Monday through Friday nights, to do a full system backup (excluding workstations since we always configure them to save their data to the file server), and to do a full comparison of the backup to the original files before ejecting the tape. The LTO4 spec can backup at least 800 gigabytes of data (the manufacturer claims 800 gigabytes to 1.6 terabytes, but we’ve found it’s best to only rely on the lower number), and do it very fast. 2. Constant Data Replication. Larger organizations that need much larger server hard drives use a technology called Storage Area Networks (or SANs). SANs are expensive devices with lots of storage capacity and redundancy (safety) built into them. In organizations that use SANs, they often run at least two of them in different physical locations to protect against disasters. They then synchronize the contents of both so that they are constantly backing up each other. This makes their data available in an instant. An example might be to have a SAN at each end of a larger building or larger campus, and possibly another off-site. In my research of best practices, I found that corporations with larger needs than what tape can satisfy use SANs. My firm’s SAN recommendation is an EqualLogic built to the storage capacity needs of the ministry. We prefer EqualLogic because it has the best combination of engineering (abilities and tools), redundancy, and price. We’ve found the best provider to churches and ministries to be VR6 Systems since it discounts them steeply for churches and ministries. One caveat, though, is that to get VR6’s best price, they need to be your first contact regarding EqualLogic since the manufacturer will otherwise require VR6 to share the profit from your purchase with whichever other vendor has “registered” you first. We recommend emailing Jason Powell at jason. powell@vr6systems.com. Contacting Jason first will save you thousands and will bring this better technology closer to your reach. • Other Important Considerations Whether yours is a small or large organization, there are a couple of strategic issues that will make your disaster recovery or survival through a disaster more likely: • Data Location. There are two possibilities regarding the location of your organization’s data: local drives or server drives. Server drives don’t fail as often because they are engineered for higher performance and Christian Computing® Magazine
reliability. We recommend configuring your system workstations to focus their data storage on the server drives, which will help achieve a more predictable outcome when trying to survive a disaster. It will also help your team because it will mean that a system user can log in at any workstation and get to their data if their workstation is unavailable due to theft, hardware failure, or something else. • Avoid Quick and Cheap Fixes. Quick and cheap fixes have many more shortcomings, and they make achieving a full and timely recovery from disaster less likely. In addition to not being able to include necessary system files and being less reliable (something usually not discovered until they are really needed), trying to recover through them often costs significantly more. A great rule of thumb when thinking of network technology is that if the hardware you want (desktop computer, notebook computer, switch, backup solution, and so on) is readily available in stores, it’s most likely the wrong option and you don’t want it. Instead, establish a relationship with an IT firm you trust and consult with the people there. Doing so will save you both time and money. You will even find that the right solutions often don’t cost more than poor solutions, and June 2011
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sometimes even cost less. Business Continuity Recovering from a disaster is essential, but some disasters in recent history (such as Hurricane Katrina and 9/11) have emphasized the need to be able to survive and minister during the disaster and during the disaster recovery. Though the difference between disaster recovery and business continuity is subtle, it is important. There are certain types of data your team will need to access during a disaster and during the recovery, and the bigger the disaster, the longer it may take to recover. In Hurricane Katrina, people were evacuated in all directions, yet still needed to communicate and process certain financial transactions, such as payroll. In 9/11, organizations’ data structure was vaporized with no possibility of recovery. These are rare but clear examples that should guide preparation. Step 1. Categorize the types of data in your organization. Some categories might be congregational databases, financial systems, email, letters, various ministry and department files, pictures, videos, audio files, older files, and so on. Step 2. Meet with leadership and ask them to prioritize what categories of data need to be recovered, and within what timeframe they need those categories available to the team. Let them know that the decisions they make will drive the strategy and expense of your disaster recovery and business continuity plan. For instance, if everything needs to be recovered and running within two hours, you’ll need to have a SAN, but if not, then tape backup will do. And if certain databases or email needs to be up and running within a couple of hours, then you may need to look for a vendor who can host them online when needed. Step 3. Research IT best practices to meet the requirements of your leadership’s decision, and present a budget and plan. If they require you to make modifications, do so explaining the consequences to their original requirements. When the budget and plan are finally approved, and they state the recoverable timelines they should deliver, have leadership formally approve it. Christian Computing® Magazine
Step 4. Implement the new plan. Step 5. Test the new plan. This is the piece that is often not done, but it is essential to ensure compliance with the requirements of leadership. Be sure to report the results of the test to leadership and get their approval. By doing all five steps detailed above, you will have assurance that you have balanced the needs of the organization with the available funds to do what is best. Further, in the case of a disaster, leadership will have clear expectations of how the systems will come back online, which will help relieve stress. This will also make your CPA happy at the next audit. And best of all, it will help you and your leadership to hear the words we all hope for at the end of the journey: “Well done, good and faithful manager.” Nick Nicholaou is president of MBS, a consulting firm specializing in church and ministry IT and CPA services. You can reach Nick via email (nick@mbsinc. com) and may want to check out his firm’s website (www.mbsinc.com) and his blog at http://ministry-it. blogspot.com.
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big ministry - small resources
Why Not Ask?
F
Bradley Miller - bradley.w.miller@gmail.com
or the past three years I have been writing on ways to stretch your fish and loaves of bread to meet the needs of serving in various technology areas. I have been working towards having sermon videos at our local church - Heartland Church in Blue Springs, MO. When we first started this project we were dealing with Final Cut Express on iMac systems that were woefully underpowered for the task at hand (this despite the helpful sales people at the local Apple Store). We have been making major strides over the last few years, but I realized an important lesson in the pursuit of ministry…sometimes, you need to ask for the fish and loaves of bread. This seems like such a simple concept...asking. In Mark 6:38 (NIV): 38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” The first thought when looking at these passages on the feeding of the 5000 is the miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish and having leftovers…baskets full of leftovers. Over in John 6:8 (NIV) we have an interesting view of this: 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” The text makes it clear that this is a boy, and I’m not a great Biblical scholar or historian, but knowing a bit about the culture of the era, he was probably not altogether that old and probably didn’t have all that impressive of a lunch. I have heard several sermons that equate this to some sardines and crackers, or even the portrait of a modern day Christian Computing® Magazine
“Lunchable”. (That’s surely trademarked by someone!) I want to leave you with a few points this month and let this hit you on how technology can be used and how you should be seeking those loaves of bread. This is not exactly a great financial period for many ministries. Donations are down due to fear as well as job losses, but the technology just keeps exploding at a rapid rate. We are looking at leap-frogging pass the old ways of the past to impact more and more people. Once upon a time, a church could be pretty advanced if it had cassette tapes - and then CD’s. If you were really out there you might have a radio program or even TV show. Now with a couple of hundred dollars in cameras/software and a computer you can broadcast videos on the Internet to tens of thousands of people. Can you see the ramifications here? Sometimes you do need to ask. I sat in a chair with our pastoral staff befuddled at the progress we had made over the past few years. I had researched various solutions after looking at the effort and failures of the past. Not that June 2011
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failure is a negative term - Thomas Edison is often quoted as having 999 ways NOT to make a light bulb . . . so while not being the end goal, they did teach him many ways it wouldn’t work. I studied the past efforts and set out to learn as much as I can and limit myself to the realm of what is reasonable for a volunteer staff to do. Spending over 40+ hours a week in ministry is one thing, but doing that simply because you’re not equipping people to do ministry effectively is a huge issue. If you were still typing out newsletters on the old IBM Selectric and hand cranking mimeograph copies for your members you would probably be looked at a bit oddly. Unfortunately you’re doing about the same thing when they are working on old computers with little space and buggy software that hasn’t been updated in ages. I laid out my case for the hardware and software we needed and the pastors decided to take up a special offering for this as well as other projects that have been on the “we need to pay this bill or deal with this emergency” deferment list. The congregation responded and we got our five loaves and two fish. In fact that weekend we managed to get enough for several projects worth of needs besides “just the tech team.” All it took was asking. Sometimes we look at a problem like the disciples did . . . it was just too big for them and they didn’t at all understand what Christ wanted them to do. I doubt many in the crowd even understood that also . . . do you really think out of 5000 men (not counting women and children) that there was only this? It took one boy to entrust what he had - to give it up for something far greater. Do we do a disservice to our staff or members when we don’t allow them to participate in God’s plans? They need to know the needs before they can respond through faith. Some people may argue that knowing a need may guilt someone to respond; but, I don’t think God gave us eyes and ears to not use them for all of His purposes. There are many unmet needs in your church and technolChristian Computing® Magazine
ogy is not thing that will change everything, but not using every resource that you have available is just unfathomable. We are called to spread the gospel message and be witnesses to all the Earth. It’s pretty hard to reach someone around the world or down the street if you don’t try to meet them where they are . . . and sometimes it’s just a click away. Don’t let the enormity of your problem prevent you from either asking for what is available. Then when you have those offerings, ask God to bless and multiply it.
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the power and the danger
The Power and Danger of Location Data By Russ McGuire - russ.mcguire@gmail.com
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n this second column on “The Power and the Danger,” I’d like to discuss location data. Location data has been in the news in recent weeks due to the revelation that iPhones and Android phones regularly report back their location to Apple and Google respectively (although Apple denies that they track users). In a world where our privacy is increasingly under threat from digital technologies, the dangers of location data are apparent. In response, lawmakers want to increase regulations on smartphone data. Meanwhile, in other news, Google reports that use of Google Maps on smartphones will surpass that on PCs within the next few weeks. GigaOM quoted a Google Vice President as saying “Desktop apps will be important but maps on the phone that knows … where you are and where you’re going is a killer app.” That pretty much sums up the power of location data – your phone knows enough about you, including where you are, to deliver a much richer and better experience than the desktop can deliver. What is “Location Data”? 15 years ago the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted Docket 94-102 requiring wireless carriers (e.g. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile) to deliver to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) the cell site (tower) from which a 911 call was placed. This requirement had to be met within 18 months. Over time, more precise location data was required to be delivered, specifically, within 5 years of the order, the “latitude and longitude of a mobile unit making a 911 call, within a radius of no more than 125 meters” had to be delivered to the PSAP with the 911 call. Obviously, the ComChristian Computing® Magazine
mission was focused on improving the ability to quickly deliver emergency services to wireless customers, wherever they may roam. Over the years, to meet these requirements the wireless carriers implemented increasingly precise methods for determining the location of their subscribers. To meet the initial requirement, the carriers simply had to pass along the cell site that the cell phone was connected to when the call was made. Later, the carriers figured out how to estimate the location of the caller by measuring the signal delay from the cell phone to the three (or more) nearest cell sites. This method is known as “triangulation.” This approach can, at times, yield highly accurate results, but most of the time the results are only useful for identifying the general vicinity of the wireless subscriber, not their precise location. In 2001, Nextel introduced the first cell phone with a GPS chipset. This phone used signals from the global navigation satellite system to precisely identify its location. The location data was passed back over the network to Nextel and then on to the PSAP to satisfy the FCC’s requirements. This solution has been widely deployed by all wireless carriers, especially in high June 2011
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end smartphones (including the iPhone “How to have more time for ministry!” and Android devices). (The location Do you want to save time, get more done and could also be made available to local have fewer headaches? Then Donarius Church applications on the phone, which has Management Software will make it easy for you opened up many new possibilities.) to track your members, contributions, pledges Starting at $63.97 Triangulation continues to be useful and more. Imagine what you can do with the for the base version with since many people turn off their GPS to 25% off for small churches extra time! Donarius will also: preserve battery life and GPS typically Download a free demo at: • Print your tax receipts doesn’t work indoors since the phone www.donarius.com • Show the giving pattern of your members can’t “see” the navigation satellites. Re• Print your church directories 1-888-479-4636 • Send personalized letters, emails and text cently, the triangulation method has been Nuverb Systems Inc. messages to keep your members informed extended to be able to determine location “Software tailored for you” based on the strength of WiFi signals. leading provider of social recommendations, but when it added No matter what method is used, to “augmented reality” to its iPhone app in 2009, it made those meet the FCC’s requirements, the wireless carriers are collectrecommendations incredibly relevant. Just point your phone in ing your location data. Carriers store this information, if for any direction and it will tell you the ratings for nearby restauno other reason than to assist in after the fact location efforts, rants. Now, finding a good place to eat has become simple, including searches for missing persons and criminal investigations. Because of privacy concerns, regulations limit how they wherever you go. John Deere is even using location data to automatically steer farm equipment for the best possible results. can use this data without the subscriber’s permission. But the future possibilities are even more dramatic. For In a sense, these carriers can be viewed as stewards of the example, imagine arriving at your hotel. Your phone tells the precious treasure of our location data. On one hand, we righthotel system that you’ve arrived and you are able to completely fully expect them to protect this information (and our privacy). bypass check-in. Your phone tells you your room number But, as good stewards, we must also expect them to maximize the value of this treasure to our benefit. (Full disclosure: I work and actually serves as your room key. Or imagine that your phone automatically places your normal Starbucks order as for a wireless carrier, and this is exactly the position I advocate you approach the drive-thru. Or imagine if your house lights within my company and across the industry.) automatically turn on when you drive into the neighborhood. Or perhaps your cell phone will let you know about prayer What does it mean to “maximize the value” of location requests near where you currently are. Of course, you’d have data? to approve the use of your location information for each of You already have a sense for the value of location data these applications, but I think you can probably start to see how from the discussion above. When you need emergency help and dial 911, you want the ambulance or fire truck or police car location data can create new value for the things you already do to come exactly to where you are. You expect the wireless car- today. rier to pass your location data to the PSAP so that this happens. Bonus: If you’re interested in teaching the next generation how to live responsibly in this digital age, you might want to Before the FCC’s E911 requirements, the PSAP only knew download my presentation on “Raising Digital Natives Withwhat you were able to tell them, however precise or accurate out Cannibalizing Your Faith” from the recent Midwest Parent that may be. Location data dramatically improved the process Educators conference. The presentation is available in the “The of responding to emergency calls. Power and Danger” community at ccmag.com. Undoubtedly you’ve also heard stories of lost hikers or It is my hope and prayer that these articles on the power other missing people who have been found because their and danger of technology will encourage you in your daily wireless carrier was able to provide location information to the walk with Christ. Whether it is the printing press, radio, televiauthorities. Increasingly, location data is also being used in sion, personal computers, the Internet, mobility, or even locacriminal investigations to catch “the bad guys” and prove their tion data, new technologies continue to advance our ability to guilt. know God and to serve Him, wherever we go. There are other uses of location data that can create value for you today. Being able to use your cell phone for navigaRuss McGuire is an executive for a Fortune 100 company and tion directions as you drive is a current example, especially if the founder/co-founder of three technology start-ups. His latest your cell phone tells you real time information, such as “traffic entrepreneurial venture is Hschooler.net (http://hschooler.net), ahead.” Perhaps you’ve also used one of many applications a social network for Christian families (especially homethat can help you find where you parked your car. schoolers) which is being built and run by three homeschooled Another powerful example of the value of location data is in the field of restaurant recommendations. Yelp was already a students under Russ’ direction. Christian Computing® Magazine
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ministry communication Heaven too Soon Why We Need More than Multi-media Worship Yvon Prehn - yvon@effectivechurchcom.com
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ur contemporary world did not invent multi-media. The ancient world routinely linked spectacle, music, and entertainment with religion. Greek drama and the Roman games both had their origin in the religions of the day. The many religions of world at that time all had elaborate rituals, music, and pageantry. For a contrast between the current worship practices of his day and the Apostle Paul’s approach and how this applies to us today, read on... Multi-media worship in the ancient world The Cult of Cybele was an extremely popular religion throughout the Roman Empire and the poet, Catullus who was writing during the same time Paul was preaching, described it this way: “Together come and follow to the Phrygian home of Cybele, to the Phrygian forests of the goddess, where the clash of cymbals ring, where tambourines resound, where the Phrygian flute-player blows deeply on his curved reed, where ivy-crowned maenads toss their heads.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybele) We don’t ever hear of Paul or any other Christian leader of the early days of the faith proposing public festivals, music, dance, and games to draw a crowd. They certainly could have— that’s what most religions at the time did. Paul could have “baptized” these practices and used them to support the Christian message. He had that opportunity when in Lystra, he healed a man and the crowds, responding from their life-long spiritual viewpoint: When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to Christian Computing® Magazine
offer sacrifices to them. Acts 14: 11-14 How did Paul respond? Did he accept the methods, but try to turn it into a Christian purpose? Not at all. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God.”Acts 14:14-15 Things did not go well after that. Paul was stoned and left the city. But he wasn’t finished. A few verses later we learn: . . .they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Acts 14:2223. (For more a more in-depth discussion of how Paul’s response to the religions of the time was unique: http://www.effectivechurchcom.com/2011/06/book-previewthe-post-modern-effect-on-church-communications-and-howwe-got-to-where-we-are/ ) Paul used a biblical, content-centric method of communication because Christian discipleship is a way of June 2011
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life, not just participation in a celebration It takes more than a celebration, a ritual, or an offering to grow a disciple. It begins with a relationship with Jesus as Savior, but that relationship grows to mature discipleship in the context of the church family and through knowledge of the God’s Word. The New Testament was written to be read, studied, and lived. In contrast, in the ancient world, you could be follower of Cybele or Mithras or Dionysus or Isis (or all of them combined) by simply participating in their rituals. Once the ritual was completed you could live as you wanted. The Christian faith and the Jewish religion, on which it was based, did not allow competing beliefs systems. When a person converted to the Jewish religion from the Gentile world, prior to the time of Christ, they knew that meant a totally different way of life. It meant devotion to one God alone and intense, lengthy study was part of the conversion process. The Jewish people had spent centuries studying and attempting to obey God’s laws. They knew a Messiah was coming who would fulfill the laws, but who would not do away with them. When a Jewish audience (with the long history of belief in the expectations of the one true God) acknowledged Jesus as Messiah, they did not do away with all of their previous learning. They learned how it now applied to the Christian faith. When a Gentile, without any Jewish background of study became a Christian, that person had a lot to learn about the one true God and how Jesus fulfilled God’s plan of salvation. After becoming a Christian, that person needed to learn how to live like one. Early on in the development of the Christian church it became necessary to formalize instruction in the faith and to question and make sure that someone wanting to be baptized and join the church understood all that meant and made a commitment to live according to the demands of God’s Word. Christians were known as people of the Book, the Word of God, people who studied and attempted to live their lives according to what the Bible said. True Christianity has always involved more than emotional participation in a ritual. Most of our current culture would be surprised to know that The current image of Christianity, in the media and the minds of many, is never people studying an open Bible, or involved in serious discussion of theology, but of Christians singing, arms upraised, eyes often closed in the throes of spiritual ecstasy. Please do not misunderstand me, I am not criticizing genuine Christian worship, but as has been frequently pointed out, if the response of the people to the Christian message is not any different from that of rabid fans at a sporting event or concert, we have a problem. Christian Computing® Magazine
It is not that joy and praise aren’t part of our Christian lives, but if that is the primary focus, the goal and measure of Christianity, our timing is off. We want heaven too soon. In eternity we’ll praise without end or care. Now, our calling is to be disciples; to carry out the work of our returning Lord. To do that takes more than happy songs. A Sunday worship service or a special event might be the start of a relationship with an unchurched person, but these times need to be connecting points, the start of a journey. A structured, complete system of communications to take people from guests to discipleship is what must follow if we are to be obedient to Jesus. Sermons of more than twenty minutes filled with Biblical content, Adult Sunday School classes and small groups that study with depth and purpose, all supported with communications in print and online that help believers grow to mature disciples are all needed. To help you create these, here are some current resources available from Effective Church Communications: An online webinar on: The Uniqueness of Church Communications, including the Five Steps of Effective Church Communications and Marketing and why marketing is not evil available at: http://www.effectivechurchcom.com/2011/06/ online-video-foundation-the-uniqueness-of-church-communications/ Series of training webinars on the basics of Effective Church Communications, available at: http://www.effectivechurchcom.com/2011/06/the-basics-ofeffective-church-communications-strategy-skills-resources/
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