By Jim White Not too long ago, hardly any church would have dared to plan, write and publish its own Bible study materials. Before computers, desktop publishing and easy access to the Internet, the task would have been so daunting,…
Peace group opposes war with Iran
By Bob Allen Directors of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America adopted a statement March 28 urging “diplomacy over bombs” in the United States’ relations with Iran. “The people of the United States have been living in a state…
The iPad and your soul
By Jim Denison The latest iPad is now in stores. Actually, that’s probably not true. Apple can’t keep up with the demand. Pre-orders were sold out in two days. Analysts expect the latest version of Apple’s tablet computer to sell…
Churches conflicted when it comes to social media engagement
By Robert Dilday It’s not about hunting. It’s about farming. That’s how bestselling author Ivan Misner, founder of one of the world’s largest business networking organizations, describes social networks, which he says attempt to do one thing—cultivate relationships. For church…
Text message donors represent new category of giver, study shows
By Bob Allen One in 10 Americans have made a charitable donation using the text messaging feature on their mobile phones, according to a newly-released study produced by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and Harvard’s Berkman…
So your church is on Facebook. What now?
By Robert Dilday While about half of Protestant churches have Facebook pages, many essentially use it as a bulletin board, missing out on the potential to nurture relationships with congregants and its community. “It’s OK for a church to use…
Beyond Facebook: Scanning the social media landscape
By Robert Dilday Facebook has become the social network of choice for the vast majority of people—it’s hard to argue with 850 million users around the globe—and it’s not likely to disappear any time soon. But some specialists see a…
Video blog offers deeper connection between pastor and church
By Robert Dilday When a church consultant recommended to Second Baptist Church in Liberty, Mo., that its senior minister needed an additional venue—other than the pulpit—to connect to its members, the church’s media minister pushed Pastor Jason Edwards to consider…
Dear Social Media Consultant
By Natalie Aho I am very aware of the switch to social media and the need to use the tools available to connect with people. Yet I am old-school and don’t like computer-mediated relationships. I feel like I should know…