Your Ministry Helper » Blogging http://www.yourministryhelper.com tips and solutions for the business side of ministry Fri, 06 Aug 2010 00:27:23 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Using Social Networks for Ministry http://www.yourministryhelper.com/using-social-networks-for-ministry.html http://www.yourministryhelper.com/using-social-networks-for-ministry.html#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:34:02 +0000 Valerie Johnson http://www.yourministryhelper.com/?p=611 I am a regular reader of Shaun King’s blog, Shaun In the City.  I actually found his blog through the social network, StumbleUpon.  One of the things that  keeps me reading his blog is how efficiently he uses social networking.  A few things I’ve watched him use it for is:

  • announcing the new ministry he started at the beginning of the year (Courageous Church)
  • inviting people to attend services at the church (over 600 attended the first service)
  • recruiting volunteers to help with the church
  • getting people to loan him equipment for a speaking engagement
  • donations for their new office space
  • finding a contractor for some small jobs at the church

Since the recent upheaval around the Iran elections, blogging and Twitter have received a lot of attention and we see how they can be used in many different situations.

If you are interested in learning to use social networking for ministry or business, you might want to check out the BUG Conference, a one day marketing clinic at the Highlands Church in Birmingham, Alabama.  I have already registered and am looking forward to learning a lot about using social networking more efficiently and effectively.

Maybe I’ll see you there.

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]]> http://www.yourministryhelper.com/using-social-networks-for-ministry.html/feed 2 21 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Starting A Ministry Blog http://www.yourministryhelper.com/21-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-starting-a-ministry-blog.html http://www.yourministryhelper.com/21-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-starting-a-ministry-blog.html#comments Sun, 15 Feb 2009 13:45:37 +0000 Valerie Johnson http://www.yourministryhelper.com/?p=474 If you have been thinking about starting a ministry blog but still aren’t sure, here are some things you might want to consider before you make the commitment.

  1. Why do you want to start a blog?
  2. Who is your proposed audience?
  3. Do you have the discipline to post regularly?
  4. Will you use a free blogging service or a self hosted blog?
  5. If you have a self hosted blog have you purchased a domain name and a hosting service?
  6. Will you be the only person writing for the blog or will it be a team effort?
  7. Will the blog belong to you or the ministry?
  8. If the blog belongs to the ministry, will it be part of an existing web site or a blog with it’s own web address?
  9. What is the purpose of your blog?
  10. How can the blog help your ministry?
  11. Do you have a relevant name for your blog (does it reflect what your blog is about)?
  12. Are you familiar with blogging etiquette?
  13. Do you know blogging terms?
  14. Do you read other blogs regularly?
  15. What is an FTP client?
  16. What are web stats?
  17. Do you understand digital footprints?
  18. What is comment spam?
  19. How do you use plugins?
  20. What is SEO?
  21. What is RSS?

If you have difficulty answering some of these questions, you should probably do a little research and some reading on blogging.  The best book I’ve read about blogging that focuses on ministry is The Blogging Church by Brian Bailey.  It’s an easy, practical read.

Related Reading:

Should Your Church Have A Blog?

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