Category Archives: media & tech

To TV or Not To TV?

By caryschmidt | March 29, 2010

To TV or not to TV? Many Christians wrestle with this question. Many choose to not have a TV at all. Others choose to have limited TV and tight controls. Yet others open the floodgates completely. Regardless of where you are on the TV decision, this experience was too powerful not to share.
For several years we’ve [...]

Also posted in family | Tagged biblical living, danger, family, media & tech, technology | 6 Comments

14 Encouragers to Follow On Twitter

By caryschmidt | November 8, 2009

The following is a list of people that represent some great reasons to use twitter—even if you’d rather not post anything! They are wonderful, genuine servants of God. These are lives worth emulating! If you use twitter, you would benefit and be encouraged by following these leaders:
@PaulChappell – Dr. Paul Chappell, Pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church, [...]

Posted in media & tech | Tagged leadership, technology, twitter | 3 Comments

Do Social Networks Change Behavior?

By Cary Schmidt | September 24, 2009

USAToday published an interesting article today about the impact of the internet and social networking. Here are a few of the statistics they shared:
How social-networking services affect the everyday behavior of millions of Americans:

An Ohio State University study links Facebook to lower grades. According to a survey of 219 students, published in April, those who [...]

Posted in media & tech | Tagged blog, communication, media & tech, social networking, technology, twitter | Leave a comment

Defeating the Media Monster-Part 2

By Cary Schmidt | September 8, 2009

Media will eat your family alive unless you tell it not to!

In part one we uncovered five challenges that modern media brings into our lives and homes. To beat the challenges, tame this monster, and prepare your children to have discernment and wisdom, may I make the following suggestions:
1. Build healthy relationships committed to purity [...]

Also posted in family | Tagged biblical living, danger, family, media & tech, parenting, social networking, student ministry, technology | 1 Comment

Defeating the Media Monster—Part 1

By Cary Schmidt | September 4, 2009

Media will eat your family alive, unless you tell it not to!

I have a deep inner aversion to living things that crawl, creep, fly, or slither around and find their way into places they don’t belong. They bother me. They creep me out. I just want them dead as quickly as I can make it [...]

Also posted in family, featured | Tagged biblical living, counseling, danger, family, satanic, separation, social networking, student ministry, teen life, twitter | 1 Comment

What’s a Podcast?

By caryschmidt | August 31, 2009

Introducing Our Ministry Podcasts and How to Use Them

When it comes to technology and helpful tools, I’ve decided to quit making assumptions. After all, there was a day when I asked this same question—what in the world is a podcast?? (If you are already familiar with the concept, you might want to skip down to [...]

Also posted in books and resources | Tagged leadership, local church, media & tech, striving together, technology | 2 Comments

New Research on Social Networking

By Cary Schmidt | August 19, 2009

Both TIME magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported on some dangers surfacing behind the many hours that teens are spending in social networking. Here are a few quotes from the San Francisco Chronicle article that relayed the results of a poll of 1,000 teens and 1,000 parents:
“From behind their bedroom doors, more than [...]

Posted in media & tech | Tagged adolescence, biblical living, danger, parenting, social networking, student ministry, technology, teen life, twitter | Leave a comment

The Best and Worst Uses of Twitter

By Cary Schmidt | August 13, 2009

I have written a couple of posts about twitter—why I decided to use it and things I’ve learned from the experience. Overall, twitter has been a positive experience, but not entirely. Here is a short list of the best and worst ways to use twitter:
The Best Uses of Twitter:
Encouraging Connections—Twitter is a great means of [...]

Posted in media & tech | Tagged biblical living, communication, leadership, technology, twitter | 9 Comments

A New Design

By Cary Schmidt | June 6, 2009

After a lot of encouragement from friends over the past two years, I have decided to develop the blog a bit more. This new design and collection of new features is the first step. (Not to mention that the last design was barely more than basic.) Here’s a quick highlight of what’s on this new [...]

Also posted in books and resources | 2 Comments

Twitter—90 Days Later

By caryschmidt | February 24, 2009

The Blessings and Benefits of Learning the Art of Microblogging!
A little over 90 days ago, I began using Twitter. Eight months ago I was sure it was the dumbest thing I had ever seen. But after a little examination and consideration, I decided to give it a try with my family and friends. It’s been [...]

Posted in media & tech | Tagged blog, ministry, technology, twitter | 7 Comments

Blogs and Twitters—Is There a Point?

By Cary Schmidt | November 14, 2008

Why I Decided to Start Using Twitter
Why blog? Why Twitter? Is there a good reason for these things? That is the question I’ve been asking myself for the past year or so. I’m not usually an “early adopter” of potentially harmful things. Rather, I like to study, to watch, to pray, and to consider. I [...]

Posted in media & tech | Tagged blog, technology, twitter | 8 Comments

Cyber Families Part 3

By Cary Schmidt | October 28, 2006

Reconnecting a Disconnected Family
In last month’s edition, we were working on solving the problem of being a disconnected generation. Sure we have our high speed internet connections, our iPods, our Xboxes, and our high-tech homes, but we’ve lost the most important connection—that direct connection to the heart of our teenager!
Perhaps it’s common in [...]

Also posted in family | Tagged family, parenting, student ministry, technology | 1 Comment

Cyber Families Part 2

By Cary Schmidt | October 28, 2006

Reconnecting a Disconnected Family!
In last month’s Baptist Voice, we talked about the fact that we are the most technically “connected” generation in human history, yet we’re also the most relationally “disconnected” as the same time! More than ever teens and children are left to themselves while Mom and Dad have to work harder and [...]

Also posted in family | Tagged family, parenting, student ministry, technology | Leave a comment

Cyber Families Part 1

By Cary Schmidt | October 28, 2006

Connected Families Losing Their Most Needed Connections!
A few weeks ago, my wife and I decided to stay up late to work on some projects. I chose to stay in my chair in the living room, while she chose to sit up in bed and work—both of us on our laptop computers. Before long, [...]