I buried it because it basically tells you to stop avoiding Facebook and then 8 steps for how to sign up and start using the site, not really how to use it practically for sharing my faith. In that sense, the title is misleading. Eight things to do when I sign up for Facebook isn't really that helpful.

Oh geez, you can make videos for a WHOLE lot less than that. Get started with a home DV camera and use some free bundled video editing software (Windows Movie Maker or iMovie). That's all you need to get started and the quality is totally sufficient. Don't buy all this equipment until you've made some cheap videos first and know that 1) you'll actually use it, and 2) that it'll actually enhance your ministry's communication.

I understand what you are saying. However, the larger the organization the more the meetings you need to have in order to function properly not to mention well. This meeting style does not go into my volunteer staff. It is primarily for full time staff who have to work as a team in order to accomplish what is in front of them.

Woah, that's pretty crazy.

The fact that they "expelled" PZ Myers from a pre-screening of the film wasn't addressed in the article, but it was in the press conference. The Myers expulsion was done to attempt to draw a parallel between his getting kicked out of the film and the ID scientists' perceived persecution. I don't know that it was the best way to go about making that point, but that's what they claim they were trying to do. Their basis for the expulsion was the fact that the screening was an invitation-only event and Myers was apparently not invited. THAT SAID, they did knowingly allow Dr. Richard Dawkins in to the same screening, even though he was not invited either, and even had a mini-debate with him following the film during which Dawkins apologized for something he had said in the press (can't remember what it was at the moment). Myers has been a particularly vocal and agressive attacker of the film - he even crashed the tele-press conference Friday and even when the producers tried to discuss the film's merits, he refused to do anything but be disruptive.

I buried this. Way to broad, general and stereotypical. C'mon now.

This can be a ministry expense... somehow.

Yes, and the only way to find out if something works in a location is trying it.

Glad to hear it! (not that you're addicted to something, but that you find it fun and valuable for yourself while creating a valuable resource for others) ;-)

It's worth mentioning that every time you move to a new location and a new ministry it's almost like starting over again. What worked well at one ministry will fail miserably elsewhere.

Thanks for submitting this, Brandon! Glad you find it valuable.

All I can say is that I want it. This is really cool and I am sure will carry a hefty price tag.

Here's a video of how Microsoft Surface works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP5y7yp06n0

I also recommend: www.sxc.hu (stockxchange) They are free and royalty free photos.

Been there!

Good stuff. I'm addicted to the site already.

Hey, thanks for submitting this, phsyl! I try not to submit too much of my own stuff and rather let others do that if they think it's valuable.

Wow, that sounds like "Death by Meeting" to me! Maybe that would be an improvement for some ministries, but the staff at my church officially meets for only an hour each week. My youth staff only meets together about three times a year: Christmas party, fall ministry start-up meeting, summer ministry wrap-up meeting. With 60-some adult youth workers, we've found other ways to communicate instead of meeting all the time.

Our jr. high students go through the entire Bible and church history in two years -- OT one year, NT and church history the next year, each in small groups. By the time they reach high school, they have a pretty solid overview of the Bible and it's impact on history. I'm honestly very proud of the program.

I sent the info to my pastor. Hopefully he'll consider it.

I use Photoshop all the time, so I'm pretty familiar with it. Haven't checked out Gimp for a year or two, so I went to download it, but alas there's no real version for Mac. Oh well.

Thanks for letting me know about gimp. I use photoshop at the church but I am trying to encourage youth and adults who work with our visuals to create their own backgrounds.. many of them do not have photoshop or other expensive software. And yes I agree.. I know alot but I have youth who can run circles around me when it comes to this stuff.

Another great reason to work with HS students.

This sounds like it will be an awesome experience and I love the idea of everyone giving to a single cause. God will truly bless this effort.

If you think this is bizzare then you need to read the "My Little Bimbo plug. It blew me away.