Resource Browser Page
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Average Rating | |
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| February 4, 2012 |
Texting - A Churchly ActivitySocial Media Do any of you use texting in your church? I think it’s a promising idea. Some churches encourage texting during church services, some use it for sending news, encouragement, prayer requests, whatever information they wish to share. What’s going on out there in your world? |
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| January 15, 2012 |
Craigslist - It's For Churches, TooHow-To Do you use craigslist, eBay or other similar sites to buy or sell things? Or perhaps to find employees or services? Have you used it on behalf of your church? Craigslist can be a useful tool for your church -- a way to save money and find good people. |
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| January 2, 2012 |
Top 10 in the Church & Web NetworkHow-To Happy new year! Top 10 lists are all over the place right now. I figured, why not join in? Below is a list of the articles or blogs that I consider some of our “Church and Web” top entries. What do you think are important topics we have or should discuss? |
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| November 8, 2011 |
Why Give a Tweet?Social Media Ever wonder why using Facebook and/or Twitter for your church would be a good idea? Or what in the world would you write about if you set up a Facebook page? Or what if I start using Twitter and someone posts something negative? There’s a webinar on The Network that will help you ... |
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| October 25, 2011 |
Online File StorageCommunication, Getting Started We’ve talked a little in the past about back-up, but there’s another side to file storage - just plain storing files in order to share them with others. How do you easily share large files among yourselves in the church, and others with whom you interact? |
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| October 16, 2011 |
Wi-Fi - Make it SecureHow-To Does your church use a wireless network? Many do, and it’s a useful tool. But, like pretty much any technology, wi-fi can be used for good or bad so it’s a good idea to protect your church as much as possible. |
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| September 20, 2011 |
Art & Design - Solving Problems, Looking Good for GodMedia “What is the end goal of...design? Make sure you look good for God.” That's a quote from an article I recently read. How are you using technology at your church to “look good for God?” Many artists say that design should solve a problem, not just look good. What problems are you solving with the art in your church? |
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| August 15, 2011 |
I Can't Open That Attachment!Communication, How-To More and more committees, businesses, and organizations are going paperless. This is great for many reasons such as: using less resources (paper, postage, and staff), great portability, and faster distribution. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as your church disseminates information via email, their website or any other electronic means. |
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| July 12, 2011 |
Twitter and the Church - Just Another Internet Site or a New Way to Engage?Social Media We are constantly in conversation with people. We love having the opportunity to talk to people about our interests, our faith, or even how our day went. Guess what? You can do this online as well...it's this "little" site called Twitter. |
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| June 26, 2011 |
YouTube BasicsGetting Started Why might your church use YouTube? Like a photo sharing site, it’s a central place for storing and sharing video files, but beyond that, with its millions of visitors, YouTube is another potential avenue for spreading the good news to the world. |
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| June 6, 2011 |
Creative Commons - ImagesChurch Websites, Media Creative Commons--have you heard of it? I first read about it on the back cover of a Reformed Worship magazine, and I’ve been glad to know of it ever since. One place I use it frequently is on Flickr. It’s a great way to find images you can use with no worries about copyrights. |
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| May 31, 2011 |
Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by BackupHow-To Backup - Bewitched because I know it’s necessary. Bothered because it can be a bother to set up and maintain. Bewildered because there are so many choices! How do I know which method, software, server...whatever...to use? |
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| May 16, 2011 |
Welcome VideosChurch Websites, Marketing Does your church website have a welcome video? An engaging video can be an effective way to invite people to your church, answer questions they might have and take away the natural fear of the unknown they are probably feeling. |
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| May 2, 2011 |
Easiest Prayer Chain EverCommunication, How-To Do you remember phone trees? Perhaps your church used a phone tree to let the members know when there was a prayer request. Now technology gives us tools for a much more reliable, efficient way to communicate our concerns and joys with our church family. |
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| April 18, 2011 |
(Church) Family PhotosChurch Websites, How-To What would you save if your house was on fire? Many people answer, “My family photos.” Family photos are precious. Our church is a family, too, and it is good to figure out the best way to store our church family photos. |
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| April 12, 2011 |
Grants for TechnologyHow-To, Media Did you know that our denomination provides grants for smaller churches to use to purchase new technology? The grants are provided by the Sustaining Congregational Excellence (SCE) program, which “is predominantly for smaller congregations in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. |
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| March 22, 2011 |
Recording, Streaming, and Podcasting Worship ServicesHow-To, Media Questions about how to record or stream worship services have come up several times in our Church and Web network. Many churches make audio recordings of their services. Cassette tapes were a common media for this for quite a few years, but now that technology is pretty much obsolete. Churches now... |
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| August 19, 2010 |
Salesforce for Church - Part IICommunication, Getting Started, How-To, Marketing Let me explain right away: This article is not about how to use Salesforce to sell anything. Sounds kind of like those telemarketers, doesn't it? "I'm not trying to sell you anything, I'm just taking a survey." Right. Salesforce, like Google Apps, is available to non-profits for free, so I truly am not selling anything. I am writing this article to tell you about how I've set up Salesforce for our church to track membership and our offerings. This is part two of a two part series on Salesforce. To read part I, click here. |
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| August 10, 2010 |
Salesforce for Church - Part ICommunication, Getting Started, How-To, Marketing Let me explain right away: This article is not about how to use Salesforce to sell anything. Sounds kind of like those telemarketers, doesn't it? "I'm not trying to sell you anything, I'm just taking a survey." Right. Salesforce, like Google Apps, is available to non-profits for free. I am writing this article to tell you about how I've set up Salesforce for our church to track membership and our offerings. This is part one of a two part series on Salesforce. |
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| April 12, 2010 |
How to Choose a Domain Name and Guidelines for RegistrationChurch Websites, Getting Started, How-To Location, location, location. Everyone knows that choosing a great location is crucial when buying real estate. The same is true in the digital world: choosing a domain name is an important choice for a church's online presence. If your church is just starting a website, this is one of the first decisions that you will need to make. |
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Date |
Average Rating | |
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| May 7, 2012 |
3 Quick Social Media TipsSocial Media Churches are increasingly investing more time into social media. It can be a great way to connect with members, regular attenders and new folks in a place where people are already hanging out. Whether you’re just getting started in social media or have been at it for awhile, here are three tips for avoiding a few common mistakes. |
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| April 24, 2012 |
3 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Church WebsiteChurch Websites For many, spring is a time of motivation. The changing of the seasons get people excited to do new things or clean up old stuff. So why not give a little seasonal makeover to your church’s website? Here are three things you could do to spruce up your website to make it more effective. |
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| April 12, 2012 |
The Importance of Good WritingChurch Websites, Communication For those of us involved in working on web stuff for our churches, I think we often times forget about the importance of good writing. Yet without solid writing, lots of the other work you do becomes less effective. |
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| April 5, 2012 |
Facebook Timeline Is For VisitorsSocial Media In the church world, there are lots of things we do for the sake of communicating with first-time visitors. We add snazzy “I’m New Here” buttons to our website. We create slick brochures as part of a welcome packet. Now there’s one more thing to add to the list: Facebook Timeline. |
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| March 21, 2012 |
Equipping Members to Share Your Church This EasterChurch Websites, Social Media Easter is a time of year when people are more receptive to going to church. And we also know the number one way people find a church is through a personal invite. So as Easter is quickly approaching, it’s time to make sure you’re equipping your members with ways to share your church |
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| March 14, 2012 |
Google Apps Free For Churches (Again)Communication Google has lifted the ban on churches meaning you can now connect your church to great tools Google has to offer. Here are some reasons why you might consider moving your church to Google so you can embrace the convenience of Gmail, Google Docs, Calendar and more. |
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| March 6, 2012 |
Facebook Timeline for ChurchesSocial Media It was rumored for some time, but now it’s a reality. Facebook has launched the Timeline feature for brand pages. That includes your church’s page. Here are some tips to help you get started. |
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| March 5, 2012 |
New Guide for Church & WebWeb, Church Websites My name's Jerod Clark and I'm the new guide for the Church and Web network. There’s something I know to be true: everything communicates something. So why not be intentional about what you’re saying? |
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| February 24, 2012 |
'Til We Meet Again“How time do fly,” my dad sometimes jokes. It’s been a year since I started as the guide for The Network’s Church & Web section, and I will be saying so long, until we meet again -- which I’m sure we will, right here in The Network. |
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| January 27, 2012 |
The Web is Your Church's New Front DoorChurch Websites This webinar was recorded on January 25, 2012 and then a repeat session was held on February 1. |
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| December 27, 2011 |
Going to the ShowMedia When her parents are getting her ready for church, my little 3-year-old granddaughter asks, “Are we going to the show?” That’s what she calls church -- “the show.” At her church, the service is shown via streaming video to the nursery where she goes each Sunday. Makes me wonder, how will “doing church” be different for future generations? |
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| December 13, 2011 |
Technology That Redeems DowntimeCommunication Today I'd like to direct you to an article from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship called "Technology that Redeems Downtime." The article gives examples of the ways you and your church can use technology to "support a lifestyle of worship." |
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| December 6, 2011 |
Turn Your Eyes Upon JesusSocial Media An article by Joyce Suh reminds us that being “wired” presents a danger “of gradually cutting ourselves off from the blessing that comes with being face-to-face with another human being and from being face-to-face with God.” As we begin the Christmas season, it is good to remind ourselves of what is the most important in our lives, and to “turn our eyes upon Jesus.” |
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| November 29, 2011 |
Blogging for God?A few weeks back I wrote about technology as a devotional tool and received some excellent suggestions of devotions available online from several of you. How about blogs? Have you found some good ones that you find help you grow in faith? |
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| November 15, 2011 |
What Do You Know About Video?How-To, Media What do you know about video? Well, if you’re Andrew Nutma, quite a bit. Andrew posted an entry in the forum called “Video Record 101.” You’ll learn about the low cost solution he found for video recording his church’s services. Has your church started video recording? |
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| November 1, 2011 |
Thoughtful Use & Non-Use of TechnologyMedia I love technology. If you’re reading this blog, you may enjoy it, too. But, even though I appreciate the use of technology, I also appreciate it when people are thoughtful about its use -- or non-use. Opposite decisions about whether or not to use technology can both be "right." |
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| September 25, 2011 |
Technology - A Devotional Tool?Communication Can technology be a tool to increase your devotion to God? Have you ever signed up for a thought or Bible verse a day? Did it help you spiritually? Have you ever developed or experienced a system using technology to increase your own or others’ devotion? |
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| September 10, 2011 |
Reason for HopeSocial Media Those of you who follow The Network may have seen the forum discussion led by Tim Postuma regarding Google’s decision to no longer give Google Apps free to religious organizations. It’s really too bad, isn’t it? Maybe the CRC Network can help to change their minds, what do you think? |
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| August 29, 2011 |
Building Relationships with TechnologyCommunication, Social Media Some things never change. Fostering relationships involves building trust, developing rapport, and sharing experiences. But some of the tools for accomplishing this have changed. This is especially true when using technology and the web to accomplish this with kids and young adults. |
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| August 22, 2011 |
Special Deals for ChurchesWeb Who doesn't love a good deal? There's that shirt you found hidden on the clearance rack or the coupon you used at the restaurant for dinner. In the same way your church can get deals on technology services and software. Is your church taking full advantage of all the available discounts and freebies that it can? |
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Date |
Average Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| October 9, 2011 |
Worship Planning OnlineHow-To A highly recommended online worship planning program. Worship Planning Online has a place to plan services, keep libraries of music (mp3 files, songs, chord charts, ties in with CCLI and iTunes) and Power Points, schedule everyone participating in the services and communicate with everyone involved. The program includes email communications to let each person know their schedule, and individual logins for all concerned. You can even chat live during a service. |
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| March 18, 2011 |
Recording Your Worship Service LiveHow-To, Media Article from "Technologies For Worship Magazine" on how to set up to make audio recordings of your worship services. |
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| February 19, 2011 |
How Do You Know When to Invest in New Technology?Media There is a right time to adopt new technology, but too-early adopters incur high costs for the new toys. For congregations, the hard question is: When is the right time? Read this article about useful guidelines and questions to ask as you make your decision. |
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| June 22, 2010 |
Christian Reformed Church Logos and GraphicsChurch Websites To show your association with the Christian Reformed Church and its agencies, you can include these logos and graphics on your website. |
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| June 1, 2010 |
Website 101: Seven Basics Vital to a Good SiteChurch Websites, Getting Started, How-To This white paper by Church Juice explains 7 key areas to consider when starting or revamping your website. |
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| March 29, 2010 |
CRC Social Media and Blog ListingsChurch Websites, Getting Started, Social Media The CRC maintains a list of its social media presence and blogs on this page so that you can easily follow or friend them on platforms like Twitter, or Facebook. Also, you can read the blogs written by different ministries. |
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| March 8, 2010 |
OpenDNS Cache CheckChurch Websites, Getting Started, How-To This tool will help you when you change the DNS settings on your website. If you change your DNS settings you need to double check the changes you made which Cache Check enables you to do. If you don't, your site may be inoperable as the changes take a while to propagate. Using this tool... |
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| January 25, 2010 |
Facebook PagesGetting Started, How-To, Social Media Visit this link to create a Facebook Page for your church. Once you click the link above, go to "Create Page" and then choose a category (probably "Brand, Product, or Organization" and then "Religious Organization") choose a name and then start adding content. |
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| January 19, 2010 |
Google AnalyticsGoogle Analytics is a free service provided by Google that enables you to look in depth at all your site traffic. You can look at basic information like page views, traffic sources, which pages are most frequently visited. However you can dive in and look at heat maps, browsers used, and returning visitors. This valuable... |
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| January 18, 2010 |
Google Apps for Non ProfitsChurch Websites, Communication, Getting Started, How-To |
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| January 11, 2010 |
WhoIs - Domain Registration LookupChurch Websites, How-To |
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| January 4, 2010 |
Twitter as a Ministry ToolCommunication, Marketing, Social Media Church Juice's in-depth description and ideas for using Twitter in your church is a must-read if you are considering using Twitter in your church. |
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| December 28, 2009 |
Website Markup ValidationUse this site to check if your website is standards compliant. While it is debated how important it is to pass, it is still useful for cleaning up the code on your site. The site is described as... |
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Date |
Average Rating | |
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| July 27, 2011 |
LivestreamCommunication, Media Livestream is a program for streaming video. Livestream, formerly known as Mogulus, is a live streaming video platform that allows users to view and broadcast video content using a camera and a computer through the internet. -- Wikipedia |
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| March 18, 2011 |
AudacityHow-To, Media Free software for working with sound recordings. |
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| May 15, 2010 |
Church Marketing LabThis Flickr group is a pool of images for special events, sermon series and other items at churches. Browse the images for ideas to spice up your marketing material or website. But also read the comments for the community's critique of the images and maybe even leave your own input. If you have some images you are working on, upload them and you'll get feedback on what's good and what needs to change. Also this site is a part of Church Marketing Sucks. While the images are copyrighted, if you find some that you could use contact the person you uploaded them and see if they'll grant you permission to use them. |
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| May 10, 2010 |
UnMarketingCommunication, Marketing, Social Media This blog offers straightforward advice to an organization's online presence, and marketing. |
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| January 25, 2010 |
Church CrunchChurch Websites, Communication, How-To, Marketing, Media, Social Media Church Crunch is a popular blog that will not only inform you, but it will make you laugh. It will inform you about using social media, design, SEO, and more on your site. With its light-hearted humor they will make you laugh while your learning about how you can improve your church's presence on the web. |
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| January 20, 2010 |
Church Website HelpChurch Websites, Getting Started, How-To This blog oriented website hopes to "give you the tips and ideas you need to help your church website reach as many people as possible, in the most effective way possible." Not only is the author familiar to social media and runs her church website, but also shares his advice by reviewing church websites. |
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| January 13, 2010 |
Heal Your Church WebSiteChurch Websites Dean Peters help in "Teaching, rebuking, correcting & training in righteous web design" through his blog. Visit here to find tips and hints on how to ratchet your website to the next level. |
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| January 6, 2010 |
MashableChurch Websites, Communication, Media, Social Media A leading blog that features the latest tools and trends on the web, especially related to social media. Mashable describes itself as "world’s largest blog focused exclusively on Web 2.0 and Social Media news. With more than 15 million monthly pageviews, Mashable is the most prolific... |
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| December 30, 2009 |
Church Marketing SucksAs you can tell from the name of the site, Church Marketing Sucks is straightforward, and focused. They aren't just critical of the stagnant status of church websites, but offer incredible advice to transform your church website. They say, "[o]ur mission is to frustrate, educate and motivate the church to communicate, with uncompromising clarity, the truth of Jesus Christ." |
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| December 23, 2009 |
Church Communications ProChurch Websites, Communication, Marketing, Media, Social Media |
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| December 16, 2009 |
Church JuiceChurch Websites, Communication, Getting Started, Marketing, Media, Social Media Church Juice is a service to help churches with their communication, online presence, and marketing. They provide useful information through blog posts, articles and free consulting for churches. |
