Tag Archives: technology

Why Ministry127.com?

By caryschmidt | May 14, 2010

Two months ago, we launched a new website—Ministry127.com. It has had a wonderful start. Friends and co-laborers from all over the world have written and expressed appreciation for the site and the resources it contains. Contributors have continually sent in submissions that are practical and helpful. The site has been overwhelmingly received and used in [...]

Posted in books and resources | Also tagged church staff, leadership, local church, media & tech, ministry, music, podcast, team | Leave a comment

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 [...]

Posted in family, media & tech | Also tagged biblical living, danger, family, media & tech | 6 Comments

New Data about Kids and Media

By caryschmidt | January 24, 2010

Several days ago the LA Times reported on a Kaiser Family Foundation study that showed kids are now averaging 53 hours per week in digital media, including TV, video games, cell phone, computer, etc. This does not include when kids are multitasking—perhaps using their phone and watching TV at the same time. When factoring those [...]

Posted in family | Also tagged adolescence, danger, family, media & tech, parenting, social networking | Leave a comment

7 Ideas for Your Personal Planner System

By caryschmidt | December 21, 2009

This fourth and final post on an annual planner is just for ideas. Please contexualize this series properly—I’m certainly not the expert on this stuff. Like you, I just enjoy comparing notes with others and gleaning helpful ideas. Thank you for the positive feedback. If you’re coming in late to the series, previous articles are [...]

Posted in productivity | Also tagged leadership, media & tech, ministry, organization, productivity, time management | 7 Comments

Implementing Your New Year Plan

By caryschmidt | December 19, 2009

The “final article” on the new year planner has become two. First—let’s discuss putting it into practice. In the next article—thoughts on developing an organizational system that works. (Click to read the first and second articles in this series.)
So you’ve spent several hours or days mapping out vision, goals, projects, events, calendar, details, and tasks—now [...]

Posted in productivity | Also tagged church staff, leadership, media & tech, ministry, organization, productivity, time management | 4 Comments

Christian Books for the Kindle

By caryschmidt | December 11, 2009

Do you have a Kindle? Good news! Striving Together Publications is committed to entering and supporting the digital publishing realm. We are now offering resources for the Kindle digital reader. I’ve been asked several times just today—hence this post. (We are working on the website announcement and links.)
Presently, you can find the following books (from [...]

Posted in books and resources | Also tagged book review, books, striving together | 2 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 | Also tagged leadership, twitter | 3 Comments

Daily in the Word Now on 450 Stations!

By Cary Schmidt | September 30, 2009

Beginning October 1st (tomorrow), the daily radio ministry of Dr. Paul Chappell will begin airing on the CSN radio network. This means that Daily in the Word is now heard on over 450 radio stations across America and in some foreign countries. Daily in the Word is a 26 minute daily radio program featuring solid [...]

Posted in books and resources | Also tagged communication, ministry | 2 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 | Also tagged blog, communication, media & tech, social networking, twitter | Leave a comment

How to Write Readable Emails

By Cary Schmidt | September 18, 2009

Have you ever received an email that, at first sight, completely sent your brain into a revolt? Funny. Regardless of the message or your affection for the sender, your brain just wants to immediately hit “delete”! Why?
Perhaps some basic things made the email appear to be a huge mental hurdle—long lines, huge paragraphs, and a [...]

Posted in productivity | Also tagged church staff, communication, organization, productivity, time management | 8 Comments

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 [...]

Posted in family, media & tech | Also tagged biblical living, danger, family, media & tech, parenting, social networking, student ministry | 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 [...]

Posted in books and resources, media & tech | Also tagged leadership, local church, media & tech, striving together | 2 Comments

A Great New Resource — www.thebaptistvoice.com

By Cary Schmidt | August 27, 2009

One of my primary goals in maintaining this blog is to share two types of resources—those that I found helpful personally, and those that we are laboring to provide for others through our ministry. This is one of the latter, so at the risk of sounding like a commercial, I hope you will use and [...]

Posted in books and resources | Also tagged media & tech, ministry, striving together | 4 Comments

Suggested Family Cell Phone Guidelines

By Cary Schmidt | August 22, 2009

Seems like kids are getting cell phones younger and younger these days! This post is one I’m only doing because of requests. Several years ago, as our boys became teens, we decided to get cell phones for them—primarily so we could get a hold of them in relation to school and youth group outings. It [...]

Posted in family, student ministry | Also tagged adolescence, communication, family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | 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 [...]