Carpe' Digital

Facebook Pastors Get Phished

timlaffoon — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:01:17 +0000

Here is a great article from Church Solutions about Facebook for Pastors.

As increasing numbers of pastors are using Facebook, they are discovering it’s easy to become a victim of “phishing,” or the compromising of their account for spam purposes. Click Here for Full Article.

Pastor’s Blog

timlaffoon — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:01:24 +0000

Many churches are now beginning to understand the importance and value of establishing web presence and many Pastors are beginning to see the value in blogging. A blog differs from a traditional website in the sense that it is designed to be dynamic—regularly updated with new information and content—rather than static, such as the virtual brochure that many church websites are designed to be. Blogs also have the capability of facilitating interaction between the author and readers creating a sense of community. Blogs are also becoming a wonderful tool for discipleship as it gives Pastors the ability and opportunity to address topics that might not otherwise come up.

So the question is, should a pastor blog? I believe that the answer is YES! But here are a couple of things to remember. You should make sure that you are comfortable with being transparent and open on personal issues. You will need to be prepared for negative responses on occassion and you need to be disciplined to make sure that content is regularly updated. Successful blogging does take time and dedication, though it does have its rewards. But you need to be careful that your blog doesn’t consume so much of your time, that you neglect other more important areas of your life and your ministry.

Students’ Grades Rise with Church Attendance

timlaffoon — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:17:02 +0000

A terrific article from Church Solutions.

Recent studies have shown that students’ grades can benefit from church attendance. Based on a survey conducted by the University of Iowa and the University of Notre Dame, … (more).

Using Video to Connect with your Congregration and Community.

timlaffoon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:53:29 +0000

One of the biggest challenges that church leadership faces is to successfully establish a sense of community among their members and their community by communicating their “Vision” and “Message.” In place of traditional methods of attracting new members and reaching a wider audience, a lot of churches are now using video communications as a proven method of increasing growth and also maintaining that growth.

One of the reasons that delivering your message with video is becoming so popular is that it allows you to communicate your message much more clear, and much more personal. A person’s voice inflections, facial expressions, and style can be communicated and draws people in. All of those little details can be captured in video which makes a big impact. You can welcome new visitors with a personal video greeting, broadcast information about events with short video podcasts, and share news with all members quickly and easily with weekly video updates.

Studies show that people remember 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, and 30% of what they see. If you combine what the average adult both sees and hears they retain 50% of that material. That is why video is such a powerful tool.

Video communications is quickly becoming a very cost-effective solution to engage with your community and your congregation. The great thing about video is that you can start small. You don’t have to do everything at once. I would encourage you to just begin to lay a foundation for video elements in your website and/or your blog and then become strategic on how to build that platform from there.

Equip Your Congregation with Invitation Tools

timlaffoon — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:34:05 +0000

The vast majority of people (on average, more than 80 percent) will visit a church for the first time as the result of a personal invite. Ironically, most churches ignore that staggering statistic from a marketing standpoint. How do you effectively encourage those within your church to invite the people they know? The best method is to provide a tool for your members that facilitates and encourages them to invite someone to your church … (more)
by Lawrence Swicegood of Church Solutions

Communicate Clearly!

timlaffoon — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:14:20 +0000

A mistake that many churches make when it comes to communications is that they don’t always put a priority on it and they don’t take it seriously. The message of Christ is the most important thing we have so we need to devote the resources to making that message clear, sharp and effectively presented.

Church communication, because it is a core aspect of the church’s mission should never be neglected. Many churches have great facilities, fine preachers, wonderful music and but you would never know it. Truth is, when it comes to church communications, many of us are stuck in the same place using the same methods - reluctant to admit they are not working.

I would highly recommend that you sit down and honestly evaluate the communication methods used in your church? What methods are you using and which ones are really making an impact?

* Church Bulletin or Brochure
* Church Newsletter
* Church E-Newsletter
* Church Website
* Online Sermons
* Church Blog
* Banners
* Posters and Flyers

No matter what size congregation or budget you have, you need to ensure that you develop and take your communications ministry seriously. Information is a vital commodity in our world today and using the resources that are available needs to be a priority. We should apply the same level of stewardship and accountability to our vision and how we communicate it, as we do any other area of our ministry.

Reaching the Next Generation

timlaffoon — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:54:28 +0000

Whether you’re a pastor, elder, ministry leader, small group leader, or volunteer, here is some great advice and ideas when it comes to reaching the next generation. Full Article

If Jesus Had A Website?

timlaffoon — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:48:38 +0000

Several years ago the phrase WWJD became very popular. I know that I used it quite often in my own life and my wife and I used it with our children to help them understand the importance of doing everyday things in their life the way Jesus would.

I came across the WWJD statement again the other day and it made me stop and think about the following statement. What if Jesus had a website? What type of content would He have on it? What would His purpose be for the site and what would He be trying to accomplish with it?

The amazing thing about Christ is that He always has a plan and He is always there to meet people at their point of need. I believe that if He had had a website during His earthly ministry, those same elements would be a priority. His site would show non-believers that those following Him were ordinary, real people; that He understands life’s challenges and can meet them at their point of need; that they would be loved and unconditionally welcome; and most of all, God is there to restore hope and their future.

The funny thing is that, Jesus really does have website. He doesn’t just have one site, but He has multiple sites and He has allowed you and I to be His webmasters. I believe that Christ wants us to manage our sites as He would. I encourage you to be prayerful and ask God for wisdom when it comes to the use of this incredible tool called the Web and that we would be effective in fulfilling the purpose that God has for it. Remember, God has a plan for everything, including your website. Maybe we should change it from WWJD to WWJP. What Would Jesus Post?

6 Reasons Pastors Should Blog

timlaffoon — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:49:08 +0000

Here is a terrific article on the importance of why a Pastor should blog. Full Article

If you need to get started with a blog here is a link to some great info from Wordpress on how to use their tools. Get Started at Wordpress.

Print Materials

timlaffoon — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:51:57 +0000

Designing a brochure, or some handouts, and a weekend program is part of every churches weekly responsibilities. Sometimes these types of things are the first thing a visitor may see when they want information about your church. It is very important that you make sure these look good even if you have a small budget. Here are three simple things to remember when producing these items.

1. Proofread before printing.
It is very important that you have several people it and look at the spelling and punctuation. You also want to make sure that everything makes sense to others who look at it.
2. Don’t use too much text.
Too much text can do more harm than good if not presented well so be careful.
3. Choose good images.
Make sure that you use good quality images for your designs. A brochure or flyer can be unsuccessful because of bad quality pictures and the placement of those images.

These are simple, but will go along way in making sure that your printed materials end up being as effective as you want them to be.