• Exploration of Online Campuses & Digital Congregations with hard-learned lessons from our 18 months of building and running one.
• Scoping, resourcing, and project managing your ministry web projects, with a particular focus on using outside people (freelancers, agencies, and volunteers) for an inside job.

I can’t tell you how honored I was to be asked to be a part of this event. Check out the Ministry 2.0 website at http://www.ministry2.org/ and be sure to register for the event in Austin.

We are also going to try something new that I am calling Vendor Flavor. Rolls off the tongue doesn’t it? VENDOR FLAVOR. Here is the bottom line of that part of the event:

6 vendors each demo their product in 7 minutes and then have 3 minutes to answer questions and get off the stage.

I’m really excited to be able to host this event at our church and to get to know all these very capable IT people in other churches. If you know anyone working in IT or Web in a Florida church or ministry, please be sure to let them know about the upcoming event.

Tell Repeatable Stories
People love to listen to and retell compelling stories. Share yours in a way that is meaningful and easily remembered. Provide facts and others tidbits that are reusable in blogs and conversations.

Remember the Audience
Readers are from everywhere, but our target audience is local. As you write, think about their context and their needs. They are hurting and hungry, and only some are Christ-followers.

Extend the Relationship in Every Post
Start conversations. Realize we are on a journey together, and people want to see and be a part of it. Come alongside those who will allow it and encourage them to join in with us.

Write About What You Know and Love
Write things that are important to you. Communicate with passion and then your love for the topic will be contagious. Share your heart’s cry so others may echo it back to us and others.

Ask “How Does This Post Help the Reader”?
Resist the urge to be the “subject matter expert”. Provide growth opportunities through interesting and useful posts. Value readers time and attention by trying to inspire and engage.

Be Honest and Show Candor
If we mess up, admit to it and share a plan for how we intend to fix it. Show humility and transparency at every turn. Cultivate the grapevine rather than be overrun by it.

Be Authentic and Real
Value Authenticity over having it all together and being polished. This isn’t a seminary paper. Include the details of what prodded you to write. Show personality and preference.

Write Like You Would in an Email to a Friend
Blogging is conversational and first-person. Like emailing a friend, the approach is intentional and thoughtful, but not constrained by format, language, or protocol. Express yourself properly.