Tech Tip: Church Metrics

If you’ve ever been involved in church administration on any level, you understand the headache it is to keep track of data and report on that information.  From attendance to baptisms to giving reports, ChurchMetrics.com gives you all the tools you need to analyze your data. You can track numbers for multiple campuses from one location on the web.  CM also allows you to add users to view or add input data.

This web app is revolutionary for small, medium and large churches in that it will allow them to see the trends within their local congregation.  Trend charts bring a deeper understanding of the routines of the church, the behavioral aspect of the congregants, and exposes areas of need in the local body of Christ.

The best part is that it is a free service!  You can access it on your mobile device as well for convenient data entry.  Here are a few ideas to use this web app within your church leadership.  During your monthly meeting provide charts to your leaders to show past progress compared to current successes.   Use giving charts to help with your financial projections.  Keep good attendance/giving records each month and year, file them away for the time your church needs to apply for a loan.  This is solid data banks and lenders want to see.

When you sign up for CM you will be assigned a subdomain with your church name.  Thousands of churches will be signing up this week.  Make sure you get your church name before it is taken.   Head on over to ChurchMetrics.com to sign up for your free account.  Thanks to LifeChurch.tv for providing this great service to other churches at no cost.

Via MisterNifty.com

Tech Tip: Bible for your iPhone or iPod touch

Have an iPhone or iPod touch? Take the word of God with you wherever you go with these Bibles. With its large screen, the iPhone or iPod touch makes a great Bible reader. Here is a quick review of three of my favorite Bible apps for these devices. All of these can be found (along with many more) in the App store.

 

BibleScope by Kenny Ham
Cost: $4.99
http://www.biblescopeapp.com

Notable Features:

• Includes the ability to navigate all the books and chapters of the Bible using either a “wheel dial” selector or a table selection with a shortcut bar to the right side.
• Add bookmarks to jump to specific locations in the Bible, and have a custom name for each bookmark.
• Compose study notes that are saved with the current book and chapter, or compose loose notes for general study.
• Keyword search to find specific words in the Bible, with search results highlighted in Bible text.
• Settings screen now within BibleScope. Settings include background, font, font size, colors and more.
• Bars at the top and bottom slide in/away with a press of the screen.
• Split-screen display that shows two Bible versions simultaneously.
• Swipe left/right to go to previous/next chapter.
• Daily devotional texts include Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening, Daily Path devotional, and a Daily Bible Reading selection.
• Words of Christ in red for the KJV and WEB translations.

Bible Versions:

Tech Tip: 20 Things you can do with Text Messaging

To many people over the age of 30, text messaging can seem like one of those strange, complicated behaviors only teenagers understand.

In reality, it’s one more great tool in your productivity arsenal, right up there with e-mail and instant messaging. Texting treads a fine line between those two communication capabilities, essentially serving as a basic form of e-mail for even the simplest of today’s cell phones.

More and more adults are using text messaging to the occasion when they need short simple coommunication. Here is a list of things (with links) you can do with text messaging. Don’t forget to check with your carrier to see how many messages (if any) are allowed as part of your monthly plan.

Google SMS  and Twitter are my favorites.

1. Remember Your Appointments and Schedule New Ones
Google Calendar lets you add new events via SMS.

2. Track Packages - TrackMyShipments.com

3. Count your Calories  -  Diet.com

4. Compose reminders and text messages with your Voice
A free service called Jott will transcribe your spoken message into text.

5. Connect and Keep Track of Friends
Follow your friends by enabling Twitter’s SMS features: Their updates will arrive on your phone.
Twitter in Plain English Video

5. Get Driving Directions
MapQuest can send you text message containing a link to turn-by-turn directions for your route.

6. Search Google and Directory Assistance
   Google SMS, 4INFO, or 411SMS

Tech Tip: How to enjoy Internet Explorer using shortcuts keys

In Internet Explorer, you can use the combination of different keyboard keys to accomplish your routine task. With shortcut keys, you can speed up your surfing without lifting your hands from the keys; otherwise require a conventional mouse to select menus and buttons options. Basically keyboard shortcuts keys help you to save time and you can perform any tasks without leaving the keyboard keys.

Shortcut keys Action :

CTRL+A Selects the all items on active page
CTRL+B Display the “Organize Favorites” dialog box
CTRL+D Add the active page to your favorites list
CTRL+F Display the “Find” dialog box to search text on active page
CTRL+I Display the Favorites pane
CTRL+H Display the History pane
CTRL+N Use to open new Internet Explorer page
CTRL+P Use to print the active web page
CTRL+W Closes the active explorer window

Tech Tip: iPhone 3G Review

 

One week with the new iPhone 3G

It’s hard to think of any other device that enjoyed the level of exposure and hype that the launch of the first iPhone received. Who could forget it?

With the multi touch and the zoom functions, it did look like a great device. Even those who were largely disinterested in technology seemed to come down with iPhone fever.

I was one of the few that did not get the fever. In fact, I was not impressed. I was a Windows Mobile phone user and very loyal. Crossing over to the iPhone was like going to the “Dark Side.” I could do everything on my Windows Mobile phone, read my Bible, email, sync my contacts and calendar, IM, listen to music, and much more. The new iPhone was lacking in several key areas for me. I wasn’t sure how well it would sync (or if all) with my Outlook contacts or if I could read the Bible on it. On my WM phone I had even started using an Exchange server to keep my contacts always in sync, so that pretty much ruled out the iPhone for me.

Well as you know, the new iPhone 3G, or more specifically, the new 2.0 software changed all that. I can now sync with all my Outlook contacts, calendar and email over exchange, and with the addition of the App Store, I have several Bible to choose from. The much lower price point was a big help too .

I purchased the iPhone with the thought in the back of my mind that I might take it back. I just wasn’t really convinced that I was going to like it. Well that thought is completely gone now. I purchased the iPhone almost a week ago, and I can honestly say that I don’t miss windows mobile at all.

I won’t take the time to do a full review or tell you the differences between the old and the new iPhone 3G. There are plenty of places on the Internet that you can read full reviews. I just want to  point out a few reasons why I like the new iPhone 3G.

Tech Tip: Read the Bible on your Phone

One of my favorites uses of a smartphone is the abilty to read and search the Bible on the go. Almost all smartphones have the ability to do this, and just about any regular phone with an internet connection can also function in this way. On most regular phones the screen may not be large enough to read the text comfortably. The smartphones with the larger screens make a perfect “Bible in your pocket.”

My favorite Bible software for this purpose is OliveTree. Olive Tree Bible Software provides Bible versions and study tools for Palm OS, Pocket PC, Smartphone and Symbian cell phones, and BlackBerry devices. They are currently in the process of developing a version for the Apple iPhone as well. 

OliveTree has over 80 electronic translations of the Bible as well as commentaries, dictionaries, devotionals, eBooks, and Strong’s numbering system. The Bible is offered in various languages, including German, French, Spanish, Chinese and many others. Original Hebrew and Greek texts are also available.

Additionally, they also provide online web and cell phone (WAP) Bible search engines.

Visit their website at http://www.olivetree.com

There are many other versions of the Bible for smartphones, OliveTree just happens to be my favorite. For instance, the new iPhone app store has about five or six different Bibles to choose from.

Below are some links to other online Bibles that may work with your phone:

Tech Tip: Smartphones

A smartphone is a mobile phone offering advanced capabilities beyond a typical mobile phone, often with computer functionality. There is no industry standard definition of a smartphone. For some, a smartphone is a phone that runs a complete operating system. For others, a smartphone is simply a phone with advanced features.

In terms of features, most smartphones support full featured email capabilities with the functionality of a complete personal organizer. Other functionality might include an additional interface such as a miniature QWERTY keyboard, a touch screen or a D-pad, a built-in camera, contact management, an accelerometer, built-in navigation hardware and software, the ability to read business documents in a variety of formats such as PDF and Microsoft Office, media software for playing music, browsing photos and viewing video clips, internet browsers or even just secure access to company mail, such as is provided by a BlackBerry.

The most common operating systems (OS) used in smartphones are:

Symbian has the largest share in most markets worldwide, but lags behind other companies in the North American market. The largest user of the Symbian OS is Nokia. Phones with the symbian OS are very hard to find with North American carriers.

 

Windows Mobile from Microsoft. Two improved variants of this operating system, Windows Mobile 6 Professional (for touch screen devices) and Windows Mobile 6 Standard (non-touchscreen) were unveiled in February 2007. Windows Mobile is enjoying great popularity because of the low barrier to entry for third-party developers to write new applications for the platform. Popular WM phones include: Motorola Q9 (mulitple versions, multiple carriers), HTC touch (multiple carriers), AT&T Tilt, Treo 700w (verizon, AT&T), and Samsung Blackjack 2 (AT&T). More Information.

 

Tech Tip: What is RSS?

Some of you may have noticed the RSS feed button on the right side of our blog. I’d like to explain exactly what RSS is for those who may not know. I will make this a tech tip as RSS is a great tool for many websites and blogs (not just ours).

What is RSS?

RSS (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. Many news-related sites, weblogs and other online publishers syndicate their content as an RSS Feed to whoever wants it.

Why RSS? Benefits for using RSS

RSS solves a problem for people who regularly use the web. It allows you to easily stay informed by retrieving the latest content from the all the sites you are interested in. You save time by not needing to visit each site individually. All the content is delivered into one place: A so-called ‘News Reader’ or ‘RSS News Reader.’ This reader is already included in many email programs, such as Eudora, Outlook, and Thunderbird, as well as in most current web browsers.

It is faster and easier to scan multiple RSS news headlines in one place (pretty much the same way you scan your email inbox) than it is to visit site after site in search of the latest information.

What is a News Reader?

Websites announce the availability of RSS News Feeds in various ways. You may already have seen this image (in one color or another):  It indicates the presence of an RSS news feed. You subscribe (free of charge) to an RSS News Feed with the News Reader program of your choice.

Tech Tip: Send large files over the Internet for Free

Some files are just too big to send via e-mail. However, you don’t have to resort to burning a CD and snail mail. We show you a few options for getting large files from here to there.

Have you ever found yourself wishing your current email provider had larger file sending limits? Emailing large file attachments can easily become a major headache. There are tons of free online services that allow you to bypass this aggravation. The Internet has a constantly growing selection of online services and applications that make transporting large files from one destination to the next.

Using the websites below you can send and receive files up to 2 GB each. Instead of emailing files as attachments, you can easily send large documents as links to all of your contacts. The documents can be viewed and downloaded from thse services. Most of them are free, or at least have a free version. Try them all and see which one you prefer. Do you have another one you use? Leave a comment below and tell us about it.

http://www.docstoc.com/OneClick

http://www.yousendit.com

http://www.pando.com

http://www.bonpoo.com

http://www.sendspace.com

Tech Tip: Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

 

There are hundreds of little shortcuts that can be used to make common computer tasks even easier. This Tech Tip is going to follow a different format than the norm and will list a few dozen of these hot keys that can be used to make working in Microsoft Windows even easier (sorry Mac users, maybe next time).

The shortcuts covered are broken up into groups based on the main key involved in activating them. So, let’s take a look at what we can do with the ALT, CTRL, SHIFT, and Windows Keys, as well as a few combo moves… 

 

Tech Tip: Apostolic Social Networking Websites

Editor’s Note: In our Tech Tip a couple of weeks ago, we discussed some of more popular the Social Networking sites on the Internet. This particular post focuses on Apostolic social networking websites. This information has already been posted once, but I thought it would be a good idea to add it to the “tech tip” section.

According to The Barna Group’s recent technology update, “One out of every four Protestant churches (26%) now has some presence on one or more social networking sites (such as MySpace).

Many Apostolics have used Social networking websites to keep in touch, such as EveryonesConnected. But with EC’s recent name change and complete overhaul, many people are seeking other solutions. The redesigned site, Ubuti, has a completely new look and feel, and many are expressing their disappointment. In fact, there are quite a few Apostolics who feel that EveryonesConnected had been accepting advertisements and other content that was of a “questionable” nature over the past few months.  

With many people looking for better and safer solutions, I would like to point out a couple of Apostolic networking websites.

Tech Tip: Free Web Conferencing

New software allows free web conferencing with absolutely no download required for attendees.

Dimdim is a free web conferencing service where you can share your desktop, show slides, collaborate, chat, talk and broadcast via webcam with absolutely no download required for attendees. This can be a great tool for churches and ministries. With the price of gas nearing four dollars a gallon, this may a great alternative to those weekly staff meetings.

DimDim has just been released from beta testing. and the service is still completely free.

Other alternatives, such as Webex and GoToMyMeeting, charge anywhere from $49 a month, on up to several hundred.

DimDim features include:  Audio and video chat with webcam, whiteboard, outlook integration, powerpoint/pdf presentation, desktop sharing, and more.

To learn more about hosting your own meeting using this software, visit their website here: http://www.dimdim.com

Other free (or low cost) web conferencing websites include:  Instant Conference and Yugma.

Tech Tip: Social Networking Websites

Social Network services build online social networks for communities of people who share interests and activities. These services and websites can be a great way to keep in touch with other friends, old classmates, and other Apostolics.  The power of social network lies in the sheer number of users connecting with each other. Through social network sites, you can meet or find many people of like faith.

Most services are primarily web-based and provide a collection of various ways for users to interact, such as chat, messaging, email, video, voice chat, file sharing, blogging, discussion groups, and so on. Social networking has revolutionized the way we communicate and share information with one another in today’s society. Various social networking websites are being used by millions of people everyday on a regular basis and it now seems that social networking is a part of everyday life

One of the more popular social networking sites among Apostolicshas been EveryonesConnected. EveryonesConnected was recently re-launched as Ubuti, and contains a completely new look and feel. The jury is still out on how popular the changes will be. There has already been some negative feedback on the new website.

The new social networking site FaithItUp.com is a lot like other social networking sites, but serves the niche market of Christians seeking friendship and community on-line. The website is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month, and has quickly grown to over 11,000 members.

The site has a lot to offer Christians, including blogging, chat, video sharing, games, and of course, making new friends. Over 800 Christian music artists are also on the site, connecting with their fans and finding new ones.

Of course, the two most popular social networking sites are MySpace and Facebook. MySpace is still the heavyweight in a market made up of featherweights, with an 80% share. Facebookis MySpace’s closest challenger with 10% of the market.

Tech Tip: Free Remote PC Access

Logmein.com offers a free and simple solution to gain remote access to your pc from any computer with an internet connection. This works great if you need to access your home computer from work, or your church computer from home, etc. With this remote software you can remotly “take control” of the other computer.

You see your Target PC’s full desktop and control everything on it—applications, network files, email, printing—without the hassle of further downloads or installations. You can even share files that are too large for email. There’s no need to lug around a laptop, because LogMeIn lets you access your PC from an Internet cafe, an airport, or a hotel business center. You can even print documents you’ve accessed remotely.

Logmein.com offers a free version as well as several other paid options and upgrades. They even offer the service for smartphones. It is also available for PCs and Macs.

Logmein.com works very similar to the popular paid software, GoToMyPC.

For more details, or to get started, visit their website at http://www.logmein.com

Tech Tip: Free MP3 Bible Download

Download free Bible mp3 files for your computer or mp3 player.

The AudioTreasure site offers several audio Bible files for download in many different languages.  You can download the complte KJV version with soft background music or with just voice only.

They also sell audio Bibles on CD or DVD at a very discounted rate.

This site serves over 1.5 million Bible mp3 file downloads per month to 200 nations around the world. The AudioTreasure site is user funded and receives no outside support.

http://www.audiotreasure.com