Founder & Editor-in-Chief Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com VP of Operations Michael Hewitt - mike@ccmag.com Contributing Editors Dr. J.D.

Doc Watson, Terry Wilhite, Yvon Prehn, Nick Nicholaou, Walt Wilson, Jim Vanduzer Kevin A. Purcell, Ross Gile, Donald Stratton, Ben Woelk Copy Editor Gene Pearson Corporate Home Office
Mailing address: PO Box 319 Belton MO 64012 Delivery address: 311 Manor Dr. Belton, MO 64012 Phone: (816) 331-8142 FAX: 800-456-1868

Applying Tomorrows Technology to Todays Ministry Volume 19

COVER STORY - Page 6

July 2007

No 7

by Steve Hewitt SPECIAL FEATURE - Page 8

The Web 2.0 Revolution in Church Growth, Part I

SPECIAL FEATURE - Page 12 by Mike Simon by Mike Hewitt Page 3 by Steve Hewitt Page 4 by Scott Howard Page 16 by Donald Stratton Page 14 by Ross Gile Page 17 by Bob Dasal Page 18 by Nick Nicholaou Page 21 by Dr. J.D. Doc Watson Page 25 by Russ Fortier Page 29 by Walt Wilson Page 28 by Kevin Purcell Page 31 by Yvon Prehn Page 34 by Ben Woelk
Copyright 2007 by Christian Computing, Inc. 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.

SpotMill
EDITORIAL Its Time to Dream Again SCOTT HOWARDS HOTPICS Blog Sites and More INSIDE THE BOX Vista Aero: High DPI INTERNET TOOLBOX VoIP - Whats in it for me? WORDSEARCH WORD WORDsearchMedia.com provides Video Illustrations NICK AT CHURCH Microsoft Office 2007 TECH TALK Creathing Strong Passwords ACS IDEAS TO IMPACT Ministry Growth: Tips for Successful Outreach INTERNET MINISTRY iPhone HIGHER POWER WITH KEVIN Ultra Mobile Personal Computers MINISTRY COMMUNICATIONS Successful multi-channel communication INFORMATION SECURITY Online Scams: Scholarship Search Services

Articles highlighed in Yellow are provided by our partners. www.ccmag.com/2007_03/2007_03editorial.pdf 2 July 2007

Christian Computing Magazine

Editorial
Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com

Its Time to Dream Again

Why I am a Co-founder of the Ministry Technology Institute
n 1988 I felt strongly impressed by God that there was a need for a magazine that would provide reviews of Christian software for churches and ministries that were seeking to use their computers for ministry. At the time I am sure there were many that would have been more qualified, but knowing that God likes to use the weak and the foolish to confound the strong and wise, I knew that I was His man for the job. (1 Corinthians 1:27)
When I started CCMag I had no idea where it would go. I couldnt imagine digital distribution, but then in 1988 I couldnt imagine Windows OS or the Internet, neither of which existed at the time. What did exist were early computers, companies producing software to help churches use these new tools, and a need for someone to help put the two together. During those early years our mission was to promote the computer as a vital tool for ministry. In those early years, many churches could not see a reason to invest in a computer and certainly did not see the connection technology had with ministry. Nicholaou a call and shared my vision with him. He quickly told me that he had felt the same vision. During the next several months, we built the foundation for the Ministry Technology Institute (MTI). You can read all about MTI in this months cover story, or visit www.ministrytech.com if you want more information. This one thing I know, this new ministry is going to be a blessing. Not only will it be a blessing to those that enroll and complete our certification program, not only will it bless the churches that are going to add these vital people to their staffs, but it is also going to be a blessing for me to be a part of this new venture. It is always a joy to be doing what God has led you to do. As we get ready to launch our first classes this Fall, I cant wait to see what He is going to do! Together We Serve Him,

A New Impression from God

I have loved the privilege of serving as the Editor-in-Chief of CCMag, and I look forward to doing so for at least another decade or more. However, recently I again felt a strong impression from God to help meet a new need. The need is to help train and equip men and women to serve churches as tomorrows technology leaders. There are several ways this need was revealed to me. This last year I heard from many of our readers who shared with me their IT experience in the secular marketplace. They expressed a desire to use their skills to help churches but didnt know where they could get the credentials to combine their technology knowledge with an understanding of how it can enhance ministry. I also heard from churches seeking to use technology to enhance their ministry, but lack a staff member who would have the knowledge to implement technology services or how to utilize those tools to fill the need. As this new vision of establishing a distance learning program to help meet these needs grew in my heart, I felt the need to seek out a longtime friend and associate to partner in this new venture. I gave Nick Christian Computing Magazine July 2007

Steve Hewitt Editor-in-Chief 3

Scott Howards hotPics

Scott Howard - scottdhoward@gmail.com

Blog Sites and More

regularly spend time on the internet doing research and development through the reading of newsletters, forums, and articles. This is something that is essential if you intend on keeping up with what is going on in the information technology industry. There are three primary questions that come to my mind when looking at resources for research and development.
The first question I ask myself, Is the site is going to be free of malware? To answer that question, I will lead off this article with a good tool that will help give you an idea on whether a site is good, in terms of malware, or if you need to stay clear of it. The second question I ask, Is the content of good quality and are you actually gaining something by reading it? This could vary from person to person as many of us have different specific interests and abilities. And the third question Is there a quicker more convenient way of finding out this information to better take control of how I spend my time? I believe that how we spend our time is very important and it is good to be able to balance our work properly with the other aspects of our lives. We want to be able to glorify our Lord by doing the best that we can do in ALL areas of our lives. Enjoy these sites and dont forget that I would love to get your feedback. www.siteadvisor.com is a site and a tool that is now owned by McAfee. Siteadvisor is a really simple but helpful tool that lights up green, yellow, or red in your web browser to tell you how safe a website is going to be for you regarding malware. Siteadvisor runs on both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. The website also has an analysis page that has links to different internet safety studies and blogs. One feature that I really like is the Category Reviews. Category Reviews are located in the right sidebar on the analysis page and there you can select from different specific categories to see a list of good and bad sites and reasons why they rate them good or bad. www.phoronix.com is a great blog to find out about the latest software 4 July 2007 and hardware with GNU/Linux and Solaris. Michael Larabel started this blog and without a doubt has successfully found a great niche to follow. The site is very easy to navigate and to work with. Two things that I want to point out in the menus is that you can go to Editors Blog to actually check out his own personal blog and you also may want to check out the forums because they seem to really be jumping. There is not much else I have to say about this site except that if you are into Linux I would highly recommend checking it out because sometimes I find some of the other news sites to be a little lengthier and not quite as many updates. www.oldcomputers.net is a rather amusing site to be able to see how far we have come in the age of computers. The site has a page of some great old computer ads that will definitely get you to crack a smile. There is also a page that shows a lot of images of different old computers in case you didnt grow up in that era and have no idea what I am talking about. You may also want to check out the comments page that people like to use to post something that is for sale Christian Computing Magazine

or trade. The site admininistrator has a list of old computers that are for trade only if you have something that you think he may be interested in. Also, the timeline in the left sidebar could come in handy if you are doing some research on the history of dinosaur computers. www.blogtrepreneur.com is a great blog to learn about becoming a success in the blogosphere. One interesting little tidbit is the fact that the blogger is a young man that is still in high school and yet he is known worldwide by his blogging skills. You will notice that the theme he uses is rather simple but at the same time it is very catchy because it has a really glossed over, smooth look and feel. This brings me to one point that I would like to stress. It normally pays off to put a little extra time and money into your theme early on if possible. So if youre interested in doing anything professional in the blogosphere, I would look this blog over and see what good ideas you can use. www.microexplosion.blogspot.com is a blog by a friend of mine whos name is Bill Seaver. Bill specializes in a few things including new media and marketing. MicroExplosion is a great blog to read if you are interested in the collaboration of Web 2.0 and marketing for the Christian organization. Bill is a good Christian man who you can definitely tell has a passion for what he does. Notice that he includes a good amount of videos on the blog which is most definitely something that more and more sites are including to share information with their readership. Gone are the days of nothing but text. The majority seem to be taking advantage of videos, pictures, and images to help accomplish their goals.

Christian Computing Magazine

July 2007

Ministry Technology Institute Launches

training & equipping tomorrows ministry leaders.
by Steve Hewitt

uring the National Association of Church Business Administrators meeting in Dallas a few weeks ago, Steve Hewitt (Editor-in-Chief of CCMag) and Nick Nicholaou (President of Ministry Business Services) announced they were forming the Ministry Technology Institute (MTI). MTI will serve the church and ministry community by offering a certification program for men and women seeking to serve ministries with technology.
There are many training opportunities available for men and women in the area of IT. However, the needs of a church differ from those of any other type of business that uses IT skills. Technology skills in most businesses are designed to help a business with the bottom line, which in the secular world equates to a profit. While a skilled IT person serving a church can certainly help to save money, the bottom line is ministry. Therefore, MTI will seek to provide classes that will center on helping their students understand specific technology solutions that are designed to help churches enhance and expand their ministry. The certificate program will consist of a variety of classes that will be available in a distance-learning environment. Completion of the certification program will be accomplished when a student finishes 24 different classes. MTI plans to open enrollment and will open classes later this year. At the time MTI launches, they plan to have as many as 36 different classes available for students to choose from, with additional classes being added throughout the year. From these classes, students will be able to select the classes that interest them the most. However, around half of the 24 classes needed for completion will include classes that will be required. For example, students will be required to take a class on How to Evaluate Church Management Software. Following completion of this introduction class, students will be required to finish six classes that are designed to take a much closer look at individual companies and their CMS solutions. Students will be able to pick six from the 6 July 2007 fifteen CMS overview classes that MTI will offer. MTI will start with classes set up under six areas of study: Church Management Software selection, Network Strategies, Internet Strategies, Website Design and Implementation Strategies, Technology Legal Issues, Multimedia Strategies, and Resource Software. While MTI has set a minimum number of 36 classes to be established before they open enrollment, the addition of new classes is something that will be continual. Since one of the goals of MTI will be to present the latest in Internet and technology resources to their students, new classes will reflect new innovations that enter the church technology solution marketplace.

What does a class look like?

Each class that MTI offers will consist of four parts. The first part will involve gathering information on the subject. In the Christian Computing Magazine

case of a software solution or resource, or doing an evaluation of a Church Management Software program this would most likely involve studying the information about the company and product that is posted on their Website. In addition, in most cases, there are free software demos of programs and resources available which the student will be required to use in order to gain hands-on experience. Part two will consist of taking an online test. Questions will be designed to test the student on their knowledge of the product, company or demo program. Part three will consisted of a conference call using a program like TalkShoe. These conference call class sessions will be scheduled whenever a specific number of students have finished the first two parts of the class and are ready for a live discussion of the subject matter. The purpose of this section of the class is two fold. First, the facilitator will be able to share specific information and insight about the product or service and will evaluate the students understanding of the product by their participation in the discussion. Second, by having live conference calls in a phone class room setting, students will be able to create relationships with other students. One of the greatest disadvantage of distance learning training is the lack of opportunities to network with fellow students. By requiring conference-call classroom time on each subject in the certification program, it is hoped that students will develop relationships with other students that will be of great benefit in the years after graduation. And, finally, the fourth part of a class unit will consist of answering one or two essay questions.

Who Can Apply For Enrollment?

MTI is being created to help those that have a desire to use their technology skills in a ministry environment. In many cases this may include men and women who are not presently serving a church in a paid staff position, but wish to move to obtain such a position in the future. Some may already be serving a church or ministry on staff, but wish to better understand the marriage between technology and ministry. Many of our churches in America have only one fulltime employee who finds themselves having to fill many shoes. This certification program would even serve those in this level of ministry, better equipping and informing them of the many technology resources out their to help with the tasks of churches of all sizes. At the time of this writing, the MTI site has been up for less than a week, yet hundreds have visited, and many have already signed up to receive information whenever enrollment will be open. When you sign up to receive information about enrollment, we ask if you are presently already serving in a church. About half of those expressing an interest in MTI already presently serve a church as a staff member.

What Will It Cost?

The cost to enroll in MTI for the first year is only $1,500. In addition to the fee, potential students will be required to agree to MTIs statement of faith, and provide several letters of recommendations.

When Will Enrollment Open?

At present, MTI is hoping to open their doors (virtual as they will be) sometime later this year. At present, interested parties can visit www.ministrytech.com and read the information available on the site. If you are interested in receiving information whenever enrollment is ready to launch, be sure to signup on the site and give your contact information. MTI will have a limit on the number of students they will allow to enroll, allowing additional students to join each quarter. Christian Computing Magazine July 2007 7

The Web 2.0 Revolution in Church Growth, Part 2

By Mike Simon President of Simon Solutions Creator of Oikos Community Console

n part one of this article in the June issue (www.ccmag2.com/2007_06/ 2007_06specialfeature.pdf), I shared with you about the basics of Web 2.0 and how it is affecting churches and worldwide ministry. In the second part of this article, Id like to share with you what the use of Web 2.0 applications can mean for the local church and how it can help us expand to build a church without walls.
What does Web 2.0 mean for the local church?
Web 2.0 can help the local church in closing the back door, and opening the front door. An ordinary church website can now be transformed into an interactive community for members and visitors. A virtual neon sign can flash, Open 24/7. This will attract seekers and visitors to a cultural relevant, online community of believers. This opens the door for dramatic results through using Oikos for true E-vangelism. Web 2.0 tools can help maximize communications, vital to the building of healthy relationships. This promotes cooperation, collaboration, and teamwork. Organic, relational networks can be built that strengthen, develop, and transform congregations. Prayer networks can be empowered and happen in real-time. Trained volunteers can help in pastoral care while they are at home. Small groups are easily developed. Web 2.0 can also help get more people excited and involved in shared ministry. Ministry leaders can now broadcast a compelling vision for cooperation in building ministry synergism. Staff can now spend more time in ministry; less in management, saving time and money. This can help spark communal transformation, resulting in both internal and external growth. Web 2.0 is also a great tool for planting new churches and local missions. An organic, interconnecting network can emerge, strengthening support and leadership development. Cost-effective, online communications can happen as training resources are made available online, 24/7. Web 2.0 is great for multi-campus churches, cell-based ministries, house churches, and apostolic networks.

What about area-wide or global ministries?

With Web 2.0 technology, ministries can easily connect in good communications and collaboration. Greater vision and mobilization happen as people build relational synergismpeople working together for greater purposes realized only through concert efforts. Using Web 2.0 technology, church, business, and civic leaders can collaborate together in City-Reaching, that is, impacting the whole city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. As more and more Christians come together on common ground and pool their resources, they will experience the power of unity (not uniformity) of purposea force of many moving as one! With this, ministries Christian Computing Magazine

Can Web 2.0 help build Church without Walls?

For the church ready to reach out beyond their four walls, Web 2.0 is a powerful tool. This is where things get really exciting. Church can go where people are, rather than waiting on them to come. With millions of Internet users integrating their online world with everyday living, churches can move way beyond their four walls and into peoples homes, workspaces, and school environments. New paradigm ministries can now be launched, providing effective ways to minister to multitudes of people. 8 July 2007

can cross the threshold into explosive, biblical dynamics and synergistic results. This will readily apply to denominational initiatives, parachurch missions, campus ministries, and marketplace outreaches.

Why should Christians use the Internet?

Every person on the planet is spiritual hungry. The Net Generation (teens and young adults) currently represents 30% of the population. They are the future of the Church; yet according the research, they are not turning to the Church for spiritual advice and comfort. So, where are they going? You guessed itto the Internet. According to Andrew Careaga, well-known author on the subject of the Net Generation, For most N-geners, the Internet is the communications medium of choice. Just as Baby Boomers grew up with television, the Net generation is growing up with the Internet. The Net is in their homes, in their schools and, with the advent of wireless communications devices, even on their belts or in their pockets. Most young people are at home in cyberspace. If they have questions, cyberspace is where they turn for answers. But not just young people are turning to the Internet; older adults are too. The Barna Research Group of Ventura, California states: Our research indicates that by 2010 we will probably have 10% to 20% of the population relying primarily or exclusively upon the Internet for its religious input. Those people will never set foot on a church campus because their religious and spiritual needs will be met through other means including the Internet. Since the time of this report in 2001, these estimates have risen from 50 million to 100 million displaced Christians, all searching for new ways to connect with each other and build community. People both young and old are searching for a place to belong, grow, and participate in the building of life-giving community. They want to connect and build relationships with other people. More and more of these people are turning to the Internet and meeting in online (virtual) communities where people share common interests and life experiences. While researchers, philosophers, and theologian continue to debate over the viable essence of virtual community, millions of people just do it!

Is this just a fad?

According to the USC Annenberg Center for the Digital Future, a large number of Internet users feel as strongly about their virtual worlds as they do about the real world. Jeffrey Cole, the Centers director, says, More than a decade after the portals of the World Wide Web opened to the public, we are now witnessing the true emergence of the Internet as the powerful personal and social phenomenon we knew it would become. According to their 2007 project, More than three quarters (77.6%) of Americans are Internet users Internet usage has increased to an average of 8.9 hours per week Many people are spending less time watching television and more time on the Internet In 2000, there were an estimated 150 million people on the Internetone out of every 40 people in the world. Today, there are more than 1 billion people online (CIA World Factbook)one out of every six people in the world. Christian Computing Magazine July 2007 9

Where do we go from here?

A number of years ago, I attended an important gathering of ministry leaders who were anxious to hear the message of a well-known church growth consultant. Everyone was excited; ready to take home keys to unlocking the secrets of church growth. The consultant stood up and said with a loud voice, Ive got good newsand bad news! Which one do you want to hear first? No one was prepared for the consultants next comments. The good news is that over 200,000 new Christians are coming to Christ, everyday, all around the world. The bad news is that many of you sitting here today could possibly see, in 35 years from now, a For Sale sign on the front lawn of your church property. You could have heard a pin drop in that gathering. I watched as many of these confident church leaders turned to each other in amazement and rude awakening. The consultant went on to discuss the inescapable reality of the next generations feelings about traditional American Church, and its inability to connect with them and their needs. So, where will this next generation of people turn to for spiritual advice and comfort? One thing that we do know is that millions of people, of all ages, are turning to the Internet to search for authentic Christian community. They will use Web 2.0 technology to connect with family and friends, hoping to find genuine Christians who can answer their questions and share their concerns. Yes, it is true that virtual community will never replace face-to-face community. But, as more and more people successfully integrate their online world with everyday living, the Church of the 21st Century can be positioned in both places at the same time, reaping a great harvest. Web 2.0 technology offers the Church a choice be there, or be square! I realize that a number of you who are reading this article will have mixed emotions about all of this, and thats ok. Whether you believe that Web 2.0 is a new revolution in church growth, this probably remains to be seen. Perhaps this message is not ready for the masses, but only for the fewthose who already have the vision deeply planted within their hearts. You are the ones who will most benefit from these thoughts. Ive come to realize that there are three types of people in this world: Those who make things happen. Those who watch things happen. And those who say, What happened? I ask you, which one of these, will you choose to be? Mike Simons expertise spans over 27 years through executive leadership of large, multi-staffed churches, businesses, and non-profit organizations. He is a specialist in community development and small group (cell-based) ministry. Passionate about helping people and ministries grow, Mikes personal mission is to motivate, mentor, and mobilize Christians for broad-based action. He currently serves at president at Simon Solutions, a company that DONATION: Simple. Powerful. All you need. desires to empower people DONATION is an affordable program used to track donors and donations and through technology in order to issue receipts, for churches or charities. It has over 4,000 registered users. It is very serve the body of Christ. For user-friendly and easy to learn, and has full documentation and great technical more about the Web 2.0 solutions support. For more information, or to download your FREE Evaluation copy, go to: that Simon Solutions offers, or to www.software4nonprofits.com/ccmag read more articles from Mike at his blog, visit http:// www.simonsolutions.com. For detailed questions about Oikos (http://www.tryoikos.com/), email info@simonsolutions.com, or call 1-888-764-0633.

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July 2007

Christian Computing Magazine

inside the box

Donald Stratton - Donald@PowerNotebooks.com

Vista Aero: High DPI

ne of the compelling new features of Vista is something that is largely getting ignored by the general computer press and public at large. Vista Aero supports high DPI graphics modes. The idea is that you can have your high resolution screen and not have tiny fonts and ugly, misplaced graphics at the same time. XP had the ability to scale applications, but this always looked horrible because the parts of the applications that were bitmaps were kept small while the text and borders grew in size.
A key improvement of the Vista design is that it will also increase the size of the bitmap icons to match the rest of the interface. This keeps everything looking nice and clean, but those bitmap icons will look fuzzy when that happens. Its a tradeoff, but its encouraging more people to use high DPI settings on high resolution LCDs. One other improvement is that because of Vistas changes, developers and software manufacturers have taken note of the importance of high DPI and are improving their applications to properly support it. Before Vista, this change wasnt really taking place. The links below offer some images to describe the changes in Vista High DPI and what they look like. Read More: http://www.istartedsomething.com/20061211/vista-dpi-scaling/ http://codeka.com/blogs/index.php/dean/2007/02/04/ more_high_dpi_woes_in_vista_solution

Christian Computing Magazine

July 2007

11

by Mike Hewitt

am a huge fan of taking other peoples great ideas and tweaking them to fit my needs, making them my own. In fact, I dont think enough churches take that principle and make it their own. Obviously, I am not telling churches to be unimaginative, but what I am saying is to understand good ideas and make them your own. If you have paid any amount of attention to Corporate America, you have noticed the hundreds of thousands of dollars that has been spent in marketing a companys product or service. Money is being paid to other professionals to create ideas that will sell their products or get people in their doors to purchase whatever it is that they are marketing. It is not hard to see how they are doing it. My question is, Why arent churches taking these ideas and utilizing them for their own purposes?
use them for Gods glory. My point about the boat story is that we need to be taking advantage of some of what the secular world has to offer. We can use some of the worlds ideas to help further the Kingdom and spread Gods Word. Spotmill is a Christian company that is doing just that. Ray Rodriguez, Spotmills owner, said that, Spotmill was created to help the Christian Media Body advance Christian Computing Magazine

There is a verse in the Bible that says dont be of the world. I believe that this is a verse that can help or hurt us. We as Christians tend to view issues more conservatively, just to be on the safe side of things, and thats how this verse is hurting us, because we sometimes dont take advantage of things available to us because we feel they are of the world. In contrast several examples exist of Jesus taking advantage of worldly items. Jesus used boats for transportation, because they were fast and efficient at the time. During this time period, boats were of the world, some boats were used for good and others for bad. Some people used boats to capture and pillage other ships yet Jesus showed us how to 12 July 2007

and create without sacrificing the unique identity of each church. This company offers churches and other ministries the opportunity to have a unified look in their print and video materials. They offer two subscription services that allow their customers to access fantastic media templates that can be personalized for marketing campaigns centered on timely themes. They offer one package that provides templates for a large variety of print media in PhotoShop file formats. This allows a church to load the files and customize the end results with their churchs name, logo and event dates. You can connect your bulletins, door hangers, posters, letterhead, flyers, etc., to come together with the same look and feel for whatever event or campaign you have. The second package provides a church with video files that can load into Adobe After Effects. While After Effects has a bit of a learning curve, what SpotMill offers through their video service is the opportunity to have videos that look professional and allow you to customize them with your church logo, color, fonts and event information. Most churches using video fall into two categories. The first group of This is an example of a bulletin. The file arrives in PhotoShop format and you churches purchases videos from sites such can change the text on the cover, as well as add content on the back. as Sermon Spice for a price of $15-$20. While these are great videos and can help enhance any worship service, they are generic. The second group of churches uses their own customized videos, but these require cameras, video editing software and some talent and skill. In most cases, churches that use their own videos have fulltime staff on board to get the job done. With SpotMills service, churches that want customSpotMill videos are sent in After Effects format, ized videos can create their own videos AND have them including individual graphic pieces, fonts and a match their print publications with the same theme. By music file for background music. A demo in taking advantage of Spotmills templates your church has QuickTime format is available at professional looking videos created by your own staff www.ccmag2.com/2007_07/2007_07demo.mov members at a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional production team. SpotMill has an entire year of print and video templates ready to go, most centered around seasonal themes such as New Years Eve, Valentines Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. Spotmill has done all of the hard work so you dont have to, yet your church benefits with a professional, unified look. (If you want to see a really cool video of what the team at SpotMill can do, visit their site and check out their demo.) I have been telling churches and people that we need to look at other businesses and apply them to promote Christian ideals. I am glad to see a Christian company that is helping churches have that professional edge. For more information, visit www.spotmill.com.

This is another example of one of 24 different samples included in this Spring Easter promotion.

Christian Computing Magazine

July 2007

13

Internet toolbox
Ross Gile - ross@digical.com

VoIP Whats in it for me?

ve been in the Internet business since 1995 and the Internet has come along way since then. When Im introduced to new Internet gadgets & technologies, usually they come from my own clients. Its embarrassing actually. Thats how fast the Internet is evolving. However, there is one (not so new) technology that I stumbled upon myself and Im feeling like theres people out there asking what is that again?
That technology is called VoIP (voice-over internet protocol). I know what did you say? Im sorry but I wasnt on the committee when this technology was named. Im sure some techie out there created this term. I would have named it Ps-UTI (Phone Service-Using The Internet). Im sure glad that person didnt name the cellphone service VoWR (voiceover wireless repeaters). Do you think cellphones would have been as popular as it is today with VoWR? to forward your lines, you can go online and configure it through an easy-to-use control panel. You dont have to be on hold with your phone service. Also, the changes are instant. You dont have to wait 24 hours for the changes to take effect. 2. The voice-mail is maintainable online. All your messages are saved online. You can keep them or download them to your own computer, etc. I love saving my own kids voice-mails whenever they call. 3. ITS A LOT CHEAPER! When I switched over to VoIP, I went from $150 per month for 3 lines to around $60.00 per month (over $1000 a year savings). Unlimited Minutes! 4. All inbound/outbound calls are logged and viewable online instantly. At anytime, you can see what calls were made or received. 5. My service includes unlimited Canada calling. 6. Setting up new VoIP service was Christian Computing Magazine

Whats in it for me?

Well, a lot of things. Where do I start? Let me just say that VoIP is just regular standard phone service but instead of having a phone service that uses your conventional phone lines & phone jacks all over your office or home, the phone service is hooked up through your broadband Internet connection. You have all the features with VoIP that you are accustomed to with a standard phone including Caller-ID, Voicemail, Call Waiting, Voice-Mail, 3-way calling, etc. Whats the difference? I like to tell people that VoIP is just another phone service but includes all the features that standard conventional phone services forgot to include.

Here are just a few:

1. All the phone features are user-definable through a web-based control panel. You can turn on/off any feature such as Call Forwarding from anywhere on the Internet. Lets say you go on vacation and forgot 14 July 2007

FAST! After I purchased the necessary VoIP router/hub and brought it to my office, I ordered the service online and I was up and running with 2 VoIP phone lines in less than an hour without talking with anyone from the company. I didnt have to wait for the next available slot from the install department to come to my office and install my new phone lines/jacks. 7. You can move (they call it port) your existing phone number over so that you do not have to get a new number. 8. 911 services are resolved upon initial setup. When you setup VoIP, it asks for your physical address for 911 emergency purposes. 9. Im saving the best for last here it is. Your VoIP service is tied to a router/hub. Its a small piece of hardware that you can buy in any electronic store that has 3 types of ports: a wireless port for your wireless computers, standard network ports to plug in your wired computers and phone ports for your phone. My router serves as both my wireless router for my laptop and my VoIP service. It has 2 phone ports on the back of it. I have a cordless phone attached to it. Whats the cool part? When I go on vacation, I take my router/hub with me which allows me to take my phone service wherever I go. I can go out of state into a hotel room and have my phone service with me because my phone service is tied to my router/hub. You might say this is a pain but the way I set it up, I easily disconnect the router/hub/VoIP from my office from the main primary router/ hub that is never disconnected. So, I can be in Florida on vacation, calling from my VoIP phone service and none of my clients will know if Im in or out of my office. It may sound complicated but its really not.

Whats the down side?

1. You need some kind of broadband connection. If you are still on dial-up, keep your dial-up active until you get high-speed broadband. 2. Sometimes I experience hick-ups Christian Computing Magazine July 2007 15

when Im talking to someone and Im downloading huge files. Its like talking on a cell phone and saying Can you hear me know?. This happens rarely though. 3. On power-outages, usually your phone service is not disrupted on conventional phone services. Computers/ Routers will usually go dark with the power-outage.

Here are some things to think about:

1. In most places, you can order VoIP with your TV cable company. Most have bundled packages (TV, Internet, VoIP) to choose from. 2. Most VoIP vendors have free trials. Take advantage of their trial offerings. 3. Most have referral programs for new clients. If you use VoIP, let me know about your experiences. Let me know if I missed any advantages or disadvantages of VoIP.

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wordsearch word
Bob Dasal - bdasal@wordsearchbible.com

WORDsearchMedia.com provides Video Illustrations worth a thousand words

Jesus said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. [Matthew 28:19-20 NIV]

he Gospel of Christ never changes. It is the same today as in the first century. The difference is the tools we have to deliver the Good News (Gospel). We live in a media driven age and have available to us tools no other generation has ever had. These tools are rooted in the technology revolution of the late 20th Century; they gained momentum in the late 1990s and have come of age during this first decade of the 21st Century.
If you are reading this article, you are a participant in this revolution. You may be a willing or unwilling participant, but a participant nonetheless. Lifestyles have changed because of this revolution and the changes are of seismological proportions in the Christian community. The technology has changed the church in many areas. It has changed record keeping, missions, evangelism, and our styles of worship, to name a few. This article will address how the multimedia side of technology has passed from novelty to mainstream. Today using video has not only become practical, it has become normative. Twenty-five years ago, if you use, for example, a Billy Graham film in the church it was most likely a 16mm film using a reel-to-reel projector. Ten years ago using a video illustration in a sermon was a novelty. Today video illustrations happen every Sunday in thousands of churches across the United States. Why has it caught on? The answer is simple, because it works! A video clip used appropriately communicates effectively. Jesus was the Master Communicator! In Matthew 28:18 He said, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Jesus had the power of heaven at His disposal, yet He told simple stories to communicate deep Truths. We must be careful not to overlook the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in this. Communicating the powerful message of the Gospel to a needy world first and foremost is being led by the Holy Spirit. Without Him our best technology will have no eternal effect. Realizing that a solid biblical sermon is Spirit lead we can properly use technology tools. The use of a short video to illustrate a point in a sermon enables pastors to be more effective and thus more powerfully communicate their message. The video can illustrate an idea or explain a point in two to three minutes. The visual and audio effect of the video can be powerfully effective. It is imperative the video should never become the center of how we preach but a tool that helps drive the point home. The goal isnt shorter sermons, but more effective ones. If the pastor saves time, but still effectively communicating the point it gives him more time to go deeper in study. For the congregation they will retain more and have a firmer grasp on the message that God has for them. Another good reason todays churches can use technology is the cost factor. Technology continues to improve at a fantastic rate and the price for it continues to drop. Today you can buy so much more for so much less! From computers to projection systems, todays church can afford to invest in these powerful and effective ministry tools. The leadership at WORDsearch Bible Software recognized the importance of these tools and committed WORDsearch to come alongside the pastor and church as a resource provider of video. As a technology company, WORDsearch exists to serve those who preach and teach to change lives and the Bible software does that every week for thousands of pastors and teachers. Now with WORDsearchMedia.com and its built in links to Bible software, pastors can easily add a video illustration to the sermon or les-

son that will help drive the point home. 17

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July 2007

nick at church
Nick Nicholaou - nick@mbsinc.com

Microsoft Office 2007

I
New Ribbon is like Red Tape

s it just me, or is this the worst version of Office ever? Usually when a new version comes out I look forward to updating my PowerPoint slides and family website with its new graphics and templates. But Microsoft hardly included anything with this version! Do we have to wait for the next service pak just for something thats usable, or am I missing something?
Okay, I like Outlook 2007 better than the 2003 version, and Words better too. But Ive had to reinstall Office 2003 for PowerPoint and FrontPage (which was replaced by MS Expression). Whats wrong with wanting to be productive? and/or print it for reference if the hyperlink doesnt work, enter the following in your browser url field: http://ministryit.blogspot.com/2007/05/making-office2007-more-better.html).

The new ribbon is a pain. Not only does it take up too much of the screen (so I minimize it to reclaim that valuable real estate), trying to find oft-used functions is almost like switching from WordPerfect to Word all over again! I had to customize the Quick Access Toolbar with my forty most-used functions! Here are screen shots of what I did in Word and Excel along with quick instructions on how to do it (I know this is tiny a larger picture is available on my blog in my post called Making Office 2007 More Better; (http://ministry-it.blogspot.com/2007/05/making-office-2007-more-better.html) just click on the graphic while at the blog entry and itll open it to your full browser screen, and then you can save 18 July 2007

If youd like to help your entire team in this way, once youve done this for yourself, just move the base files to everyones Christian Computing Magazine

Christian Computing Magazine

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startup folder!

File Names
The new file naming convention takes some getting used to. In their hope to create the new XML standard, Microsoft has added a fourth digit, x, to the filename extensions (docx, xlsx, etc). If youre running Office 2007, try this for fun: Step 1. Save a new document file in Word 2007 with the .docx extension. Step 2. Open Windows Explorer and go to the folder in which you saved that document. Step 3. Add an additional extension to the file name of .zip (Test.docx becomes Test.docx.zip). Step 4. When warned about the serious consequences of changing a files extension, click the Trust me, I really do know what Im doing option. Step 5. Now double-click the .zip file in Windows Explorer, and youll see the various components that make up that file! There are actually folders with files in them!

Is There a Better option?

A colleague wrote a blog post about the various options available for our teams to use for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, etc. Most of us think of Microsoft Office for these programs. I usually refer to these programs as productivity suites. His post sparked a dialogue between us about the whether or not Open Office, a free competitor to MS Office, could work in a church or ministry office. I dont think many of our staff members would stand for Open Office or any solution other than MS Office. Though I hate many aspects of MS Office, one of the things Ive learned over the years is that church staffs are determinedly dedicated to it. I have seen ministry executive and IT staff members lose their jobs over this issue! I could tell you story after story about situations like this. And the money spent (some would say wasted) on MS Office and many other programs doesnt matter! Many staff members wont stand for anything else. When I told him that, he responded by agreeing that his staff would revolt before giving up MS Office. If someone is starting a new ministry and isnt already a full-fledged member of the Microsoft tribe, Open Office is a great way to go. It will save lots of precious ministry-launch dollars, and could always be abandoned in later years if desired. Theres an interesting Wiki list and comparison of productivity suites that might be worth looking at if youre considering your options (http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_office_suites). Office 2007 will likely become the standard, as everything from Microsoft does. But there are serious growing pains with it. Im not sure its yet ready for prime time in the ministry office. Nick Nicholaou is President of MBS, a consulting firm specializing in ministry computer networks, operational policies, and CPA services. Since 1986 Nick and his team have served many churches and ministries in the U.S. and beyond, and he speaks often at conferences. You can reach Nick via email (nick@mbsinc.com) or phone (714/840-5900). You may want to check out his firms web site (www.mbsinc.com) and his unofficial blog at http://ministry-it.blogspot.com. 20 July 2007 Christian Computing Magazine

Dr. J.D. (Doc) Watson - docwatson@nctelecom.net

tech talk

Creating Strong Passwords

re your passwords strong? How may characters do they contain? Is there variety, and especially complexity, in them? Yes, you use words that are easy for you to remember, but are they also easy for others to hack? This article explores some principles for creating good passwords and a free on-line utility that will help immensely in evaluating them.
Creating a Password
IMHO, the strongest passwords are those that look like just random characters to an attacker. I have tried to reduce this to these three basic principles. First, there is length. At the very minimum, your password should be eight characters in length. Much better is fourteen or more. A phrase is often the easiest to remember, so for our purposes here we will start with the 14-leter phrase, i love my wife. (Note: some systems allow the spaces and some dont.) Second, there is variety. Dont use just letters or just numbers. Add variety using both, as well as other characters. For example, we could use (ilovemywife), which as well see later gives medium level security. For added variety, we could now capitalize the first letter in each word: (I Love My Wife), which, as well also demonstrate, actually gives us the best security if we can use the spaces (or at least strong if we cannot use the spaces). Warning: DONT use a login name, family name, birthday, social security number, or similar information. These are the first things an attacker will use. Also avoid repeated characters (e.g., 999999) and sequential characters (e.g., abcdefg). Third, there is complexity. For added security, add even more complexity. Using our sample phrase, for example, you could add a number for each word, as in: (1I 2Love 3My 4Wife) (with spaces) or (1I2Love3My4Wife) (without spaces). For even more complexity, you could use other characters instead of the numbers, such as ~, @, #, $, etc. You could also capitalize another letter in each word, such as first Christian Computing Magazine July 2007 the first, second the second, etc. Obviously, there are many possibilities. THE BOTTOM LINE: a password needs to be as complex as possible but still easy to remember.

Testing a Password
The boys and girls at Microsoft have provided us with a wonderful little tool that enables us to check the strength of our passwords. Go to http:// www.microsoft.com/athome/security/privacy/password_checker.mspx and check out their Password checker. Lets test our examples above. Figure 1 shows that the simple phrase, i love my wife, is weak.

Figure 1

When we add a little variety with the phrase (i love my wife), or even (ilovemywife), we get the result in Figure 2. 21

Figure 2

When we then add the further complexity of either (1I 2Love 3My 4Wife) or even (1I2Love3My4Wife), we get the result in Figure 3. (Note: There is also a Strong category between Medium and Best.)

Figure 3

Protecting Your Passwords

Finally, I know some folks say, Dont write your passwords down, but then again you have all sorts of information nowadays thats written down. The real issue, then, is simply protecting the information. Yes, you could use a password manager, or even an MS-Word document saved with its password feature, but even a simple piece of paper properly hidden is just as secure, if not more so. (BTW, online storage is not a good idea.) Windows Hot Tips 3 and More Windows Hot Tips 3 covers all the tips and other stuff presented in my column from January 2004 to January 2007 (including graphics). Order yours today (it will be greatly appreciated). Like its predecessors, it makes a great quick reference because its divided into sections, each of which contains related tips. There are two other booklets in this Hot Tips series, Windows Hot Tips 1 and 2. A single copy of each is $6.50 (sorry for the rise in price, but printing costs demanded it). Bulk prices are: $6.00 for 2-9 copies of the same title and $5.50 for 10 or more copies. If youd like to help with costs (not required), add 50 cents for any number of booklets you order. Docs Giant Utility Collection on CD is still postage paid at $14 (2-5 copies $13 each, and 6 or more copies $12 each). Send orders to: MicroManuals; PO Box 235; Meeker, CO; 81641. Thanks again for your faithful support. God bless.

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ACS Ideas to Impact

Ministry Growth: Tips for Successful Outreach

by Russ Fortier

ne of the most effective growth tools your church has is the congregation itself. Your members have the power to increase attendance at worship services and church events simply by talking. Talking to neighbors. Talking to coworkers. Talking to friends and acquaintances. Thats why its important to take action to motivate your members so that they feel compelled to reach out to people in the community.
Your on-campus events like Bible studies, cook-outs, and financial management classes can attract non-members. Make sure you continue to sponsor these types of events to which your congregation feels comfortable bringing guests. Mittelberg said that good outreach events are designed to be places where your friends are going to come. Theyll hear it in language they can understand. Theyll hear music that they can relate to, and theyll hear a message that speaks to their hearts. To ensure youre creating good outreach events, be sure youre catering to your target audience. Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ and other Christian books, writes that there are four types of Christians: Cynics arent open to being influenced spiritually Skeptics are slightly open to spiritual issues, but they are plagued by doubts Spectators are indifferent to God and not motivated to check him out Seekers are beginning to express an interest in Christianity 23

Provide the Tools Before your members can effectively reach out to their peers, though, you must provide the basis for their outreach effort. Your attendees will feel empowered if you lead them. If you can teach them, you can reach them. You can start by giving sermons or Bible studies that focus on evangelism and outreach. This can provide the foundation your members need to be able to initiate conversations about your church with their peers. Mark Mittelberg, author of Building a Contagious Church: Revolutionizing the Way We View and Do Evangelism, described this approach as a 1-2 punch. He said, [Youve] got personal relation-ships combined with team corporate outreach efforts. Thats a powerful synergy when a church works together. When your church can lay the groundwork for that synergy, you can begin to focus on providing the resources that members need to build up the church. If you use leaflets or tracts, make sure that in addition to the church name and address, you mention key characteristics about your church and its congregants. Include worship service times and directions to your facility. Encourage Involvement Once your people have the motivation and the provisions, you can give them outreach options by organizing events within the community. Make sure you cater to your broad congregation by allowing various opportunities for people of differing talents: spending time with the elderly at nursing homes, serving the less fortunate at soup kitchens, or building new homes with Habitat for Humanity. Christian Computing Magazine July 2007

Strobel says that the key to successful outreach is first to determine which type God is calling you to reach and then organize the community service or event to meet that types needs. Create and Maintain Effective Communication Once you have decided which type you want to reach out to, you can begin to plan your outreach event. Its important not to forget publicity when planning your event. If you have a Web site, be sure to post the event details to a prominent, easily locatable page. In addition, local media are always looking for stories; take advantage of that. Target radio stations, television stations, and newspapers. Make sure that you provide as much information as possible in your announcement so that you catch the reporter or editors interest. Then, once youve held your event and caught the attention of new prospects, you can keep the communication flowing by following up with your visitors to thank them for attending and invite them to come again. Consider using church management software like Access ACS to assign church leaders or members to connect with prospects. These programs may also allow you to post information on future events to your Web site so that members and non-members alike can read about them and even sign up to join. Most importantly, remember that you cant be immediately successful. Be sure to take your outreach efforts one step at a time. Recognize mistakes and grow from them. Eventually, youll start to see results. For more resources on creating an effective outreach plan, visit www.ideastoimpact.com/outreach. Russ Fortier is an ordained minister with 14 years of church staff experience. He is currently serving as implementation specialist at ACS Technologies.

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Internet Ministry
Walt Wilson - waltccm@aol.com

iPhone...

ts a telephone, a PDA, a true web browser, a camera, a concert music hall, a movie theater, a TV show, an email and messaging connection, a photo album, has a brilliant screen and It senses when you tilt your iPhone sideways then automatically changes the picture on the screen from vertical to horizontal. It works with Windows XP Home or Professional (SP2), and Windows Vista. It works with OSX. iPhone is a quad-band GSM phone and will work around the world. Thats just a partial list.
As a product rollout it is already being called the most successful in history. It will be a case study in every MBA program for years to come. New technology products introduced by Apple are rarely an event, they are launched with great fanfare and launched on a journey. Apple has never been anxious over market dominance and takes it time getting there. Much will be said about the iPhone in the days to come but as a concept as well as a design it is classic Apple: simple, easy, intuitive and fun to use. Every other smart phone or PDA by comparison looks like a Soviet military issued contraption. Goldman Sachs analyst David Bailey estimates a total of 700,000 iPhones were sold by Apple on the June 29 introductory weekend. Now thats a product launch. It took 18 months to reach that level with iPod. I thought much of the hype during the run up to launch was confined mainly to Silicon Valley until I read about iPhone in voluminous articles by national news publications like Time, Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and even airline magazines. These are not geek publications. Having been a member of the original Mac roll out team in 1984, I thought we did a pretty good job, but that was minor league compared to iPhone. Technology isnt supposed to be this big beyond the tech community, but this became a national event not seen since the arrival of the Beatles or Rolling Stones. So what did it look like here in Apple Land? Where else but here would the two co-founders of Apple show up at stores to greet customers? In one surprise visit Steve Wozniak showed up at the Apple store in Valley Fair Mall to take his place in line, at 4am to wait the entire day for sales to begin at 6pm. He came loaded with tee shirts for those in line. Christian Computing Magazine July 2007 Those who had camped out over night then awarded Woz, first place on the line. Why would Apples co-founder be purchasing his own phone when the company gave away 17,000 free phones to employees? Woz said, This is a special and meaningful event. Most of the time you watch special events on TV. I just wanted to be a part of it. I think this will be revolutionary. In another surprise visit, Steve Jobs waltzed into the Apple store on Palo Altos main drag to greet buyers during the evening. That set off a media frenzy with local TV stations covering the event for the 11pm news slot. Jobs, being media shy, ejected the reporters and had no comments for the media. He was there to visit with customers. My wife and I went to the Apple store at a mall close to our house that Friday evening just to see what it was like. The scene was reminiscent of the security lines at JFK Airport in New York, except for the party atmosphere. Lots of roped off people, uniformed security guards, and a collection of San Jose police officers. Every few min25

utes, a specific number of people would be allowed to enter the store and would be greeted by Apple employees in black tee shirts with the large white logo. Upon exiting the store a customer would pass through a gauntlet of Apple employees cheering, applauding, and giving high-fives to those who finally got their iPhones. Rumored for a year, introduced six months ago and hyped since the first day of introduction last January, iPhone is built around a large touch screen, which is brilliantly bright and sharp. The human interface is the latest in touch screen technology instead of a keypad. IPhone takes the place of multiple devices having rolled into one small thin unit the Safari Internet browser, an iPod, e-mail access, a photo library, and of course a mobile phone. You can connect to the Internet, download music, audio content, movies and TV programs. Simply connect to iTunes and youre good to go on downloads. If you rotate the device 90 degrees the screen automatically changes to portrait mode or wide screen for movies and web browsing. Mark Donovan, senior analyst at mobile industry research firm M:Metrics (http://www.mmetrics.com) states Its really a game-changing device. This iPhone mania will permanently change expectations and the way we look at these types of devices. A phone is a phone. As names and contact information are loaded into the device the auto dial enables a one-button select for conference calling which is a nice feature. The current model operates on the AT&T EDGE network, which is slower when compared to the newer G3 mobile broadband. There are also parts of the US that do not have access. I would hope well see a greater choice of providers in future versions of iPhone. Nevertheless, this is still a slick little machine with a text-scrolling feature that is just a fun thing to do. Avi Greengart, principal analyst for mobile devices at Current Analysis (http://www.currentanalysis.com), said Apple is letting the iPhone sell itselfthat shows a high level of confidence. There are other products on the market that are cool, but they arent funthey make you feel old. The iPhone is cool and fun. The screen is beautiful and the navigation system is impressive and easy. The screen is glass and therefore smudges easily which is inevitable since its designed to be controlled by your finger. This may be a challenge after eating fries at McDonalds, if you eat that kind of food. There are some complaints about getting used to the absence of a physical keyboard, but having used my car GPS I dont find this an issue. It simply takes a little getting used to. Greengart of Current Analysis takes Apples implementation of the iPhone interface even further: The expectations for a user interface on a mobile phone have been changed forever. Read CCMags Review of our LogosGiving Service! Visit One of the big features of iPhone www.ccmag2.com/logos/0205coverstory.pdf is the full version of Apples Safari 26 July 2007 Christian Computing Magazine

web browser, meaning it can display web pages in the same way you would see them on your computer. I have been frustrated by the difficultto-navigate version of the web on my past mobile phones. Albert Pang, of Palo Alto, CA., was a first day customer that was more than pleased with his purchase. Pang sounded like someone who was already an iPhone fan. He was eloquent about the way the device slowly fades the volume of a song its playing when a call comes in. This thing is really, really well designed, he said. Tiny details like that show they thought about everything. What I have observed about new product introductions is that most are evolutionary. Every now and then we see one that has redefined the future of an industry. AT&T spokesman Ted Carr states Were ecstatic about the launch. Wireless will never be the same again. Gary Krakow, MSNBCs Emmy Award winning technology columnist writes, Im going to tell you what I really think: iPhone is fabulous. Im not saying its perfect, but its interface they way you control the device is truly revolutionary. This week has been about more than Apple or the iPhone itself: this is about the future direction of personal computing. What excites me the most about what Apple has done is their contribution in moving technology closer and closer to those who cannot read or write. We have seen a huge step in iPod and now iPhone toward the day when well present the Good News of Jesus Christ to people across the earth who are oral learners. People to whom we must tell the story of Jesus. They constitute two-thirds of world population. The day is not far off when what we saw on June 29, 2007 will become economically feasible to place in the hands of everyone on earth. We have seen the technology simple, easy, and intuitive. Reading is not required. Woz is right when he says in reference to the iPhone, I think this will be revolutionary. The last time I heard him say that he had just completed initial design of the first Apple Computer.

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Higher Power With Kevin Kevin A. Purcell - kevin@kevinpurcell.org Purcell

Ultra Mobile Personal Computers

ast month CCMag columnist Walt Wilson shared with us about Palms announcement of their entry into the world of the Ultra Mobile Personal Computer, or UMPC. It just so happens that the day before I received my copy of CCMag in email that I received shipment of my very own UMPC from Samsung.
laptop and share your optical drive and install that way. That takes forever. Another approach is to put software on a USB drive but then you have to find a way to copy the installation software to the drive and then install it. External USB Optical drives are not that expensive anymore and you could borrow one from a friend till you get everything installed. A third alternative is a program like Alcohol 52% which lets you copy your disks to a hard drive in an image format and then mount them as if they were CD or DVD drives. Again, this requires the time and money for the software as well as a USB hard drive. So I recommend that you just use a USB DVD drive. Now that I have it set up with my software, I have been using it extensively. First, I surfed the net and read email. Then, I started trying it out for simple word processing. That night we went out for some supper and my wife wanted to do some shopping. I opened up my Q1 and got some work done on my sermon. When Sunday rolled around, I used it in the pulpit for sermon notes. I had my outline in PowerPoint and was able to easily see it in large print without wasting paper. Since our church Christian Computing Magazine

I have been interested in these devices for awhile. There is an appeal in taking a full-fledged PC running actual version of Windows, not baby brother Windows Mobile or as it was once called Pocket PC. When the original entry into this segment of the computing market, the OQO was introduced, I salivated. Then I learned of Microsofts Origami Experience which sounded more like a day at Japanese spa than a computing platform. I was getting excited. But the devices were always too expensive and not powerful enough for my tastes. Then Samsung announced last March that they would ship an updated version of the Q1. It has either a 600 MHz or 800 MHz processor, a 40-60 GB hard drive, and either 512 MB or 1 GB of RAM depending on the model you get. That sounded more to my liking. Add 802.11 wireless networking, Bluetooth, a touch screen, USB, Network, and VGA ports and you have a computer. Some models have not one but 2 cameras. You wont replace your multi-mega pixel digital camera. But they are good for video conferencing and eBay photos. You could use it to capture whiteboard notes or hand written notes at a meeting. I researched and read reviews as they came out and finally took the plunge last month and ordered one. The one I ordered does not have a fingerprint reader, something I never wanted, but does come with the cameras. Mine also came with the 60 gig hard drive and a full gig of RAM. Some users have reported adding another gig of RAM. But Im not ready to open mine & void my warranty. One thing you must already have is a USB DVD-Rom drive. If you want to add software like an office application or Bible study program, you will need it. Alternatively, you can network it with your desktop or 28 July 2007

has a wireless projector system I hooked up the Q1 to the projector for a Wednesday Night Bible Study and used Microsoft OneNote 2007 as a whiteboard for impromptu scribbles. In the days since, I have been able to connect my Bluetooth GPS device to the Q1 and it has helped me find a church members house (we just moved to a new ministry). The ability to take a full computer with me on the road is a boon to productivity. When I have 20 minutes I can get some Bible study done. My software of choice is Logos and WordSearch both of which have a bevy of books that Ive never really had time to read. I dont like to read sitting in front of my computer. But with this little device, I can sit back and read some of those books in leisure while the family is watching something on TV that is only mildly interesting to me. One of the struggles is syncing my documents and bible study notes with my other PC. Since the Q1 came with Vista, not a plus in my opinion, it does have file syncing. But none of my other computers have Vista. I have never thought much of the Windows Briefcase. So Ive always been a manual copy over a network kind of guy. But then I learned of a program called FolderShare. It installs on your computer (Windows 98, XP or Vista) and runs with Windows. You configure it on the FolderShare web site to sync either automatically or just when you want a specific file. If you set it up the latter way, then it puts a place holder file on your computer pointing to the file on the other computer. When you try to open it in Word or whatever program, it will automatically download just that file for you. This saves space but requires you to be online when you need the file, something that might not be possible. I am writing this from a coffee shop that does not have Internet access. So, if I had set it up in on demand mode, I would have to have waited to finish this article later, something editor Steve Hewitt is very thankful I did not have to do. Christian Computing Magazine July 2007 29

One way to be online all of the time is to use your cell phone as a modem. I have a Verizon Treo 700w with the broadband data package from my provider. For an extra fee each month, on top of my regular package price plus the broadband access for which I already pay, I can log onto the data network via the sync cable or Bluetooth. I choose not to pay that extra fee, so I am out of luck. However, there is a program for $34 from www.junefabrics.com called PDANet which works with the Treo and allows you to use it as a modem. It also works with Treos running Palm. There is trial version and it has worked well. I will probably pony up the cost for this nifty utility once the trial period expires unless some of you know of a cheaper alternative. While I am using the Samsung, and like it quite a bit, there are many other devices in this category. Take a look at the OQO and many others. Search for UMPC or Ultra Mobile PC and you will find quite a few of these devices. I chose this one because of the power and price. I wish that it had XP instead of Vista, as I am not a fan of Vista yet. Samsung will be releasing an XP version later this summer. Other companies have XP UMPCs for sale. If you have experience in this category of hardware, Id love to hear how you are using it for ministry. Email me at Kevin@KevinPurcell.org. If you know of a better way to sync files, especially Microsoft Outlook 2007s PST file, which is the file holding all of your email, contacts, calendar entries, and Task lists, then please let me know and Ill pass it along.

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Ministry communication
Yvon Prehn - yvonprehn@aol.com

Successful multi-channel communication: how print and digital must work together
hurch communicators are constantly faced with a challenging choice of communication channels. Printed bulletins, newsletters, brochures, flyers and postcards continue to be produced. In addition, most churches have entered the digital world with PowerPoint presentations, websites, email and video an expected part of the communication ministry. What is essential? What works best? Where churches should put their time and money? These are questions Im often asked in my seminars and via email. Read on for some answers.
We live in a time of multi-channel communication
Print and digital communications, in all of their various forms, make up a variety of communication channels and what is important to understand initially is one communication channel is not more important than any other, they are all needed to fully accomplish the communication ministries of any church. Its difficult and challenging to be involved in church communication ministry today and it is natural to want to make the process simple, to focus on only one or two communication projects and then to ignore the rest. But we cant do that if we really want to reach people. What is important is not the communication channel itself, but how and when and in what way it reaches people with your message. for in-depth research. If not constantly updated, they lose much usefulness. Multi-media impact varies widely on the ability of the audience to receive it. Email publications: great for those who have and check email regularly, of no use to those who dont. Refrigerator Reminders: these can be in a variety of formats: postcards, flyers, bulletin inserts, any communication that is designed to end up on what is de facto the communication central for every home todaythe refrigerator. These communication pieces are essential links to actually getting people to events when they contain the actual details of time, location, cost and availability of child care because they can be immediately accessed without having to turn on a computer or look for another publication. This listing could go on, but the most important point is that there is no one communication channel or piece that can do it all; 31

The various channels do this in different ways, for example:

Printed church bulletin: its the program for the church service; it should clearly help people understand what is going on during worship and briefly inform them of upcoming events. Usually placed in the trash after the service; tossed by midweek at the latest. PowerPoint presentations: immediate, visual, emotional impact. Most powerfully used for worship or to illustrate a sermon point. Also, helps focus people on the sermon. Not helpful for lasting memory of details. Websites: information sources for both immediate impressions and Christian Computing Magazine July 2007

no one is better than any other.

Be aware of the inherent preferences of communication creators

In my seminars, I remind church leaders of the church office bubble, the world those of us who work in the church live in that often forgets what life is like for those who do not live in our familiar bubble. Understanding and overcoming our tendency to use jargon and talk familiar to ourselves is foundational to outreach communication success, but it is also important that we are aware of our unconscious preferences in communication channels and how these affect the communication of our message. The issue is that those who create communications, by their natures and jobs are often early adaptors. We love the technology; we want to try all the latest and greatest tools. Not only do we love it personally, but there is often subtle peer pressure to learn and create with the latest technology. These tendencies are understandable, but we have to be careful that they do not negatively influence our communications. For example, I shared last month in this column, I recently discovered YouTube and put up my own channel on it (www.youtube.com/yvonprehn). I was so excited about it, but fortunately, in the midst of my excitement, I followed some of my own advice wherein I am always telling people to survey, to test, to actually ask their audience if what you are doing to communicate actually works for your people. So I did, I asked my email newsletter subscribers for their opinion on my YouTube offerings. Many people loved thembut some for some reasons I wouldnt have expected. In addition to simply being able to see what I was teaching, a number of people said they liked hearing my voice, that it made the teaching more human. An even larger number of respondents however, said that they couldnt access YouTube because they didnt have a high speed connection and others said that though they liked it, that it really helped when I also wrote out articles that they could download and give to church staff people to read. The issue of bandwidth is something those of us early adaptors and professional communication creators like to forget about. We have it; we have the RAM; we have the computers that make streaming video and complex graphics fun to create and view. But the majority of the people in our congregations still dont. According to a study out yesterday (as of this writing, on July 9, 2007) by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, stated that broadband adoption by home computer users is actually slowing down to a modest 12 percent over the last year, from a 40 percent increase the year before. Currently 47 percent of the general

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population has broadband at home and in rural areas it is down to 31 percent. When you factor in how many people in your church still do not have computers at home (and more than you imagine dont), even under optimal conditions, if they want to and take time to look at your web offerings, far less than half of your audience will receive them. Bottom line: create what you love because some of your audience will love it also, but in addition, love your church audience enough to create additional communication channels so that the people with the slowest computers and those without computers will also hear and have the opportunity to respond to the communications from your church.

The limitations of channels

Every communication channel is limited and this article is no exception. Much more can be said about the topic of multichannel communication than I have space for in this article. You can find a greatly expanded version of this article on my website at www.thelionsvoice.com. There is a link to the article on the home page. Second, my new seminars for Fall 2007, Effective Church Communication and Marketing deal in detail with this topic of multi-channel communication. I take my 5 Steps of Effective Church Communications and show you how to create communications for each step in a variety of channels, print and digital, to move people from outside the church to Christian maturity. I honestly believe this is the most exciting seminar series I have ever put together and I have a packed fall seminar schedule with seminars scheduled in Dallas, Houston, Artesia, NM, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, New York, Brooklyn, Newark, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Toronto. Please go to my website www.thelionsvoice.com for complete details and how to sign up for each location. If you are interested in hosting a seminar in 2008, I am booking them now. Please contact me at yvonprehn@aol.com. Christian Computing Magazine July 2007 33

Information security
Ben Woelk - ben.woelk@gmail.com

Online Scams: Scholarship Search Services

Proverbs 3:21-23 (NIV) My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.

T
Scholarship Scams

his article is the last of our series on Internet scams. Next month well talk about a pervasive and potentially costly practice engaged in by the majority of high school and college students, illegal file sharing.
How will you pay for college? Many of you may have worked your way through school. However, the cost of college has outpaced what a student can earn from a job. Most students pay for college through a combination of federal grants, student loans, savings, and scholarships. There are a number of helpful scholarship search sites online. There are also scholarship services that exist solely to part you and your money. 3. I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship. 4. Well do all the work. 5. The scholarship will cost some money. 6. Youve been selected by a national foundation to receive a scholarship or Youre a finalist in a contest you never entered.

Legitimate Scholarship and Grant Opportunities

Start with the Federal Student Aid site (http://studentaid.ed.gov). The federal government supplies students with the majority of financial aid. Youll want to complete the FAFSA (Federal Application for Free Student Aid). This will provide you with a Student Aid Report (SAR) which will tell you your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). College financial aid offices will use this information to determine your students financial aid award. Your college financial aid office is your best resource. There are also a number of other useful financial aid and scholarship search sites. Christian Computing Magazine

How do you find out whether your student is eligible for a scholarship? There are supposedly millions of dollars that go unclaimed each year. How can you possibly get connected with the right ones when there are scammers out there just waiting to help you find the right scholarship? Why, for only a few hundred dollarsjust give us your credit card number and well helpourselves!

Recognizing a Scholarship Scam

The Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/ edcams/scholarship/index.shtml) reports that millions of dollars are lost to scholarship scams every year. The FTC suggests that the following are signs that you may have encountered a scam: 1. The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back. 2. You cant get this information anywhere else. 34 July 2007

Student Aid on the Web http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/ CollegeBoard.com http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/index.html FinAid! The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid http://www.finaid.org SallieMae College Answer http://www.collegeanswer.com/paying/content/index.jsp Scholarships.com http://www.scholarships.com Fastweb.com http://www.fastweb.com Information about Scholarship Scams Federal Trade Commission http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/ouchalrt.shtm FinAid! The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtm National Fraud Information Center/Internet Fraud Watch http://www.fraud.org/tips/internet/scholarship.htm CollegeBoard.com http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/pay/scholarships-aid/21400.html

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