Cooper-ation | Resourcing Your Ministry

Feedly - Google Reader sync for iPad - best magazine style RSS app

2011-12-18T08:23:00.001-06:00

When I got my iPad I was excited to use Flipboard. I had seen previews and lots of reviews that were very positive. It gained attention by combining the RSS capabilities of a reader app with the beautiful layout of a magazine. This was in contrast to the more utilitarian RSS apps.

Plus, it had Google Reader syncing - a must for me. I follow several feeds on a regular basis, and Google Reader is my service of choice for managing those feeds.

I was quickly disappointed, however, as Flipboard did not have an option to hide previously read articles. It would mark them as read by changing the color of the title, but you still had to flip over them to see older posts. This was annoying to me. Any standard RSS reader normally has this function.

For a long time MobileRSS HD Free did the trick. It is fairly intuitive and utilizes gestures well for navigation. But....still very utilitarian.

Then I found Feedly. Feedly offers a great combination of RSS feed reading features with a more pleasing magazine style layout like that which made Flipboard so popular. (it is also available as a browser plugin and for Android, as well as for iPhone)

If you are like me and desire this combination, along with Google Reader sync, check out Feedly.

Now for the Screen shots...

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Wunderlist is an amazing, free task management app!

2011-06-01T10:18:00.001-05:00

I just ran across Wunderlist last night and decided to check it out.

I signed up for the web app to get started. Let me just say that I was pleasantly surprised and pleased. It is a beautifully simple task management application. And it is FREE!

Not only that, but it comes not only as a web app (accessible from any browser on any computer) but also as an iPad/iPhone and Android mobile version, as well as Windows and Mac OSX desktop versions. And, of course, they all sync with each other!

Now I have been a Things user for about 2 years now, and have to say while I like the power of Things, I often feel it is more complicated than it needs to be. Don't get me wrong, it is a great application, with more capabilities than Wunderlist, but it also cost $50 for the desktop app, $10 for the iPhone version.

Here are some similarities of the two applications:

Both apps sync. Things syncs over wifi when both applications (mobile and desktop) are running on the same network. Wunderlist syncs to the cloud. New items are retrieved on startup.
Both apps allow easy organization. Things lets you create either "projects" or "areas of responsibility" for organizing tasks. And a project can stand alone, or be under and "area." Wunderlist lets you create multiple "lists" (like "areas" in Things).
Both use an "inbox" methodology for creating tasks.
Both have desktop/mobile versions.

Advantages of Things:

Advanced tagging features.
More ways to groups/organize tasks (projects, areas of responsibility, due date, etc.)

Advantages of Wunderlist:

Cloud syncing.
Free desktop client.
Free web app.
Free mobile client.
Simpler for more basic management.
Multiple background image options.
Push or email notifications (mobile version).
Create lists & tasks via a simple email.

Wunderlist also lets you "share" lists, but I have not had a chance to test that functionality.

Here is a screen shot of Wunderlist. Isn't it pretty?

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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The "Table" (@table) is Free on February 23rd.

2011-02-16T09:26:00.001-06:00

The Table is coming! What is the Table?

The Table is a relational, online web application, custom-tailored for the church. We aim to engage the community, empower leaders, and move people beyond the pews and into authentic, life-changing friendships. website

Will this thing fly? Maybe. The video introductions look pretty good. And with things like Fellowship One integration I could see this behaving as an extension of a church's other online communities, or even a replacement. There are certainly some things I like about this. I am anxious to test it out when it becomes free to the general public on February 23rd.

Have you used the Table yet? What do you think?

The Table Project - Introduction from The Table Project on Vimeo.

Jason Cooper

@cooperjason

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Clever Marketing: Kiss for 2 for 1 at Qdoba on Feb. 14

2011-02-10T13:52:00.001-06:00

This is a little of topic for me, but I got this email from Qdoba and thought it was a clever marketing move.

I love when marketing doesn't have strings attached - when you don't have to print something off and take it in to get the deal. In this case, being on their email list gives you the inside scoop, but you don't have to print anything off, just show up and kiss someone.

I immediately imagined the fun this could be as a crowd goes through the line. I think it would be fun to run the register on Monday and encourage everyone to kiss.

I should say that I don't know if this is nationwide or not...but the good thing is that you kiss BEFORE you eat spicy mexican food.

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Good Article on "Euthanizing" Small Group Ministry in Churches

2011-01-26T12:11:00.001-06:00

There is an excellent article to consider on small group ministry at ChristianStandard.com. I don't know that anyone would agree with everything the author says, but it forces the discussion on the real effectiveness, and ultimately the purpose, of small group ministry in churches today.

My summary is that he is struggling with the tension of "church growth" verses "individual growth". Most small group ministries come from a church growth mindset - that the purpose is to connect people with the church so that the church can grow. Small groups have proven to do that well.

But many today have been told that these same small group ministries are there to help them grow. And when the overall conclusion is that the average small group ministry does NOT correlate to growth in any substantial way, there are frustrations.

However, small group ministries that are developed out of an individual growth mindset (i.e., discipleship) can do a good job of helping people truly grow in a substantial way. What matters is not "if" the church has small groups, but "what" happens in those small groups.

I have been a part of both kinds of groups. My wife and I were part of a wonderful small group a few years back. We loved the people. We had great fellowship and discussions. We looked forward to our small group time each week. But even in the midst of that, and especially looking back on the group, we can't really say that it helped us grow in any substantial way. Sure, we built some great friendships, and really enjoyed our time, but did it really help us grow?

On the other hand, we have been a part of groups with a clear discipleship focus. We had the same feelings about the group - loved the people, had great fellowship and discussions, looked forward to each week, but we ALSO felt like the group helped us grow - in substantial and identifiable ways. For now let me add that is was NOT a "Bible study" group - maybe I'll write more about what I mean by that later...

Read the article for yourself: http://christianstandard.com/2011/01/why-churches-should-euthanize-small-groups/

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Reminder - What kind of DVD players to buy for classrooms - get full front panel control

2010-11-18T08:34:00.001-06:00

I had decided to use a video clip from a DVD in my class at church a couple weeks ago. I had prepared a lesson and had planned on using the clip to help illustrate my point.

That morning, I was about to show the clip when I realized that the DVD player in my classroom only had play/stop on the front of the DVD player and the remote was gone (that's what you get for $35). The problem was that the clip I needed was the fourth chapter on the DVD. If the player had a "skip" button, i would have been OK, but it didn't - just play/stop! HOW USELESS!

This reminds me of a post from the past - about how when you buy DVD players for a classroom setting, be sure to get one with full navigational controls on the front - as the remote will inevitably be lost or the batteries will die.

Needless to say, I have since ordered some replacements for our classrooms.

For what it is worth, Pioneer still sells one like this - model DV-420V-k - that is available on their website. They cost a little more, but they are well worth it...

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Hootsuite iPhone App (full version) is Now Free

2010-10-26T08:31:00.001-05:00

I was quite pleased when I noticed this the other day. The full version of the Hootsuite iPhone app is now free.

Hootsuite is a web application for managing your social networks. You can use it online with just a browser or on your mobile with one of the mobile apps.

For "live" Twitter browsing I prefer the official Twitter iPhone app, but Hootsuite allows me to schedule updates to both Facebook and Twitter. So if I want an update to go out at a strategic time, I can use Hootsuite to schedule it.

Scheduling is a must have feature for anyone who manages social networks for an organization.

Jason
@cooperjason
Cooper-ation Resourcing

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Anyone Really Need a "Christian" Pocket Knife?

2010-10-20T10:32:00.001-05:00

See the full gallery on posterous

So I was visiting the Christian book store the other day picking up some resources for the groups I teach (exploring NT Wright). I saw this display by the register.

Now I have been there dozens of times and not really paid attention, but there was a display case with pocket knives that had scriptures engraved on the handles. Does anyone else think that is utterly ridiculous? Who really needs a "Christian" picket knife?

Don't get me wrong. I am not against knives. I carry a small pocket knife virtually every day. But the thought of carrying a knife with scripture engraved on it seems absolutely silly.

Though you could have some fun with it. The close up shows one that says "fix your eyes on Jesus" and you could add the word "punk!" on the end for fun, and for witnessing...

Is anyone else annoyed with some Christian marketing?

Don't get me started in the Christian silly bands that were there too...

Jason
Cooperation Blog
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Buying TV's for Your Org - Say No to Combos!

2010-10-07T09:10:00.001-05:00

Last week I had a bit of a set back. Despite my instincts, and despite most recommendations, I purchased an LCD TV/DVD combo for my church to use in a classroom. The simplicity of having one unit instead of two (and all the necessary cords) has significant appeal. But I was quickly reminded why most "experts" in the tech world don't recommend combo units...

It was a piece of junk. It had that lightweight, cheap plastic, happy meal feel to it. The picture wasn't bad - until I hooked up my laptop to it, then it was horrible. Unfortunately, that is one of the primary uses intended for the unit. Needless to say, I took it back the next day.

So, instead I purchased a nicer LCD TV and an upscaling DVD player. It cost a little more, and there will be more wires and remotes, but better than a combo. (I realize there might be some quality combos out there, but I couldn't find any that I could buy locally)

BTW, if you buy equipment for your organization, read my recommendation on DVD players.

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Hootsuite.com - A Great Tool for Organizations

2010-09-02T14:52:00.001-05:00

As someone who manages multiple Twitter accounts and a couple Facebook pages, I have tried out several tools that are supposed to help make it easier. Most have been pretty good - in that they let you post to multiple locations with one click. Nice!

I was recently introduced to Hootsuite.com. Hootsuite allows you to manage multiple social networks through one, online application. Here is a list of the built in networks.

In addition, you can setup columns to monitor searches, twitter hashtags, mentions, etc. Pretty handy.

Here is what I LOVE about Hootsuite - you can schedule your updates! I can plan out a whole weeks worth of posts and sit down at the first of the week and schedule them all in hootsuite. How sweet is that! Can't do that with any desktop app I know...

THE DOWN SIDE - It appears that you cannot post an image to a Facebook page without also posting it to a Twitter account. And when you do, the image doesn't show on the FB page, just the link... This is bad since our audience is primarily made of FB fans, not Twitter followers. We often use graphics to add a little "attention" to our FB page updates - just can't to it in hootsuite. Oh well.

I will continue to use hootsuite.com though to schedule what I can.

What FB/Twitter applications do you use that allow scheduling? How do they compare?

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Catalyst Leader app for iPhone/iPod Touch - Well Worth Downloading

2010-05-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

There are really only a few apps on my iPod Touch that I use regularly. Sure, there are a ton out there, and I have a bunch on my iPod Touch, but many of them are games or novelties or so task specific that I only use them sparingly. In fact, I have gotten to the point where I have removed several apps that I don't really use - not because of lack of space, but to simplify a bit.

One app worth having is Catalyst Leader. If you are involved in Christian leadership, then this app gives you quick access to some great resources - podcasts, videos, and articles on Christian leadership based on the well known Catalyst conferences. I like it for redeeming some of those small moments of time by reading or listening or watching some of the content. Check it out!

Here are a couple screen shots...

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Untitled

2010-04-26T09:56:00.001-05:00

via tweetie

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Need a Source for great graphics? Powerpointsermons.com and CreativeMYK.com

2010-04-08T08:35:00.003-05:00

When it comes to the graphics we use here at our church, there are two primary sources we rely on. Since we don't have a paid graphic artist, or even a volunteer with experience, we usually don't have the time to create graphics from scratch. We rely heavily on pre-made graphics that we can use as is, or with a few small tweaks (like changing text).

PowerPointSermons.com

This is a great site with a wide selection of pre-made graphics that will work for sermon series graphics, worship backgrounds, and even announcement graphics. Each set typically comes with 3-4 variations, all with and without the title text, and they are available in several different formats (jpg, ppt, etc.). At around $200 for a year, and unlimited downloads, it is a bargain. They also started offering video loop subscriptions as well, that costs the same (unless you get both, then you get a discount). You can also offer additional customized features at an additional cost. Definitely worth checking out.

CreativeMYK.com

CreativeMYK has received quite a bit of attention. It is a free resource that is community based. Artists upload their artwork for you to see and use if you like (be sure to read and follow the terms). Offerings vary from basic photographs to bulletin layouts to vector art, and often you are able to download the layered original files rather than a flattened image. While we don't use this as much at PPTsermons, it is a great second stop on my list when looking for a basic graphic. It is also a great place for inspiration...

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Need a Source for great graphics? Powerpointsermons.com and CreativeMYK.com

2010-04-08T08:35:00.001-05:00

PowerPointSermons.com

CreativeMYK.com

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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The ESV iPhone app - Should you check it out?

2010-03-23T09:37:00.003-05:00

A Great Mobile Bible

At my church, we believe in Biblical Authority. In fact, it is one of our core values. We would love nothing more than to see every attender faithfully digging into their Bible and reading and studying God's Word on their own!
So, I like to pass on information about Bible tools that can help you spend time in His Word.
Crossway just put out an ESV app for the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad. If you want to know more, visit mobile.esv.org.

Key Features

"Highlight" or "Favorite" a verse - There are two ways to mark verses for quick reference later. You can "highlight" them or make them a "favorite". Highlighting does just what it sounds like. You see a yellow highlight on the verse as you are reading the text. You can also see a list of just your highlighted verses. Favorite-ing does not cause the verse to stand out in the text, but does put in in the list of your favorites. Highlighting is good for marking verses that stand out to you as you read, and favorite-ing is good for marking verses for later reference (perhaps something you want to memorize or study).
Notes - You can create personalized notes for any passage of scripture. Great for taking notes during a sermon, for journaling during your personal quiet time, for for remember thoughts as you study a book or topic.
History - keeps a history (like your browser) of the passages you have been reading. This is great for back tracking a verse or passages that you didn't get a chance to favorite, highlight, or create a note about.
Search - This is expected in any digital Bible. Search for key words or phrases.
Share - this mobile Bible app allows you to easily post a verse to Twitter or email it to someone.

Other thoughts...

I have installed and used the youversion Bible app on my iPod Touch, and enjoy many of its abilities. How does the mobile ESV app compare?

Single verses multiple translations - Youversion gives you access to multiple translations and ESV is simply the English Standard Version.
Online community - Youversion offers an extensive online community (youversion.com) for sharing "contributions" and hosting "live" events. The ESV does not include the online community.
Offline access - Both offer offline access, but Youversion only allows you to download a few versions to your device for free. Youversion was built with the online community in mind. If you have the iPhone you have a constant internet connection, but if you have an iPod Touch (like me), then Youversion features are limited when not in a wifi area. ESV is built for offline viewing.
Notes/Contributions - This is where I believe ESV surpasses the Youversion app. The ESV allows you to attach notes to individual verses, to highlight them for later (highlighting stays on the verse when you navigate away), and to create a list of favorites (bookmarks, if you will). Not only that, but tapping a verse also shows you a list of cross references. Youversion does not allow permanent highlighting, personal notes (contributions) cannot be created on the iPhone/iPod Touch (only at youversion.com), and it does not have the crossreferences.

Conclusion...

Install both, they are FREE!

Youversion is superior for checking multiple translations and for interacting with an online community (much of which has to be done through a browser rather than the app). It is great for seeing what other translations and other people are saying about a passage.

ESV is superior for taking personal notes (stuff you wouldn't necessarily care to share with the online community) & highlighting text inline for later reference. I could see using the ESV app for a journaling during a personal quiet time, personal study in those moments you are otherwise idle (waiting in lines, or for appointments), and for note taking during sermons/lessons.

About the ESV
From the website: "The English Standard Version (ESV) Bible is an essentially literal Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty, and depth of meaning. The Bible says every word is “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). For this reason, the ESV seeks to translate the original Greek and Hebrew words with the greatest possible accuracy and precision."

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing
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Here are some screen shots....showing highlighting, notes, and sharing capabilities.

See the full gallery on posterous
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Picking a DVD Player for a Classroom - Get one with full front panel controls

2010-02-27T14:26:00.003-06:00

Ok, so I know DVD players are now old school technology. And I know there is nothing inherently "ministry" oriented about this post. But as an adult ministry leader responsible for keeping several classrooms in order, DVD players have been one of the most annoying elements to keep in order.

Why? BECAUSE REMOTES ALWAYS DISAPPEAR!

So what? Why is losing a remote a big deal?

Most DVD players to NOT have buttons for navigating DVD menus on the front panel. If you lose the remote, you CAN'T navigate the menu. For some DVD's this isn't a big deal, but for most DVD curriculum that is used in adult classrooms you often have to navigate through several menus to get the video clip you are looking for.

Solutions:

1. Come up with some kind of "tether" to keep your remote physically attached to the DVD player. You know, duct tape a cord to your remote and to your TV and call it good, right? In addition to looking really tacky, it also defeats the purpose of having a "remote" control. Not a good solution.

2. Buy a DVD player with front panel menu navigation buttons. You have to do some searching, but there are still a few models out there that have the four directional arrows and enter button right on the front panel. No remote needed! You want something that looks like this:

But you have to be careful, as there are some DVD players out there that have a circular button layout for play/pause, forward, reverse, stop, etc., but DON'T have navigation arrows. They look very similar, but they function very differently. Need an example? Look at this.

We just purchased a handful of DVD players (Pioneer DV-420V-K Multi-Format 1080p Upscaling DVD Player) for this very reason. If we lose the remote, they can still be used in our classrooms!

There are undoubtedly other models out there, but this does a great job, has 1080 upscaling, and a USB port that supports playback of several common video formats.

If you are buying, buy with front panel controls!

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Practically Unplugged (via CollideMagazine) - times of disconnect in a connected world

2010-02-18T11:38:00.001-06:00

I try not to post too many things, but discovered this as a follow up to the article mentioned in my last post.

If you can't live in a tent, try some of these very practical ways of balancing a "connected" life.

Practically Unplugged

Posted by Scott McClellan on February 17th, 2010 at 1:40 pm

In our Jan/Feb issue, Sam Duregger wrote a great article about his time living unplugged — read it here. Today, Sam shares some practical steps toward unplugging:

Last month’s article, “Unplug,” was a glimpse into how I found time with God away from technology, but let’s be honest … living in a tent may not be a feasible option for you. So. I wanted to begin a conversation on how we can practically unplug from technology while still being a functioning member of society, below are some starter ideas:

Set boundaries on smartphone use. When you’re at dinner with your significant other or friends — try to be present, forget about updating your foursquare status with pictures of your veal parmesan.

Check mail only twice a day, at set times. Tim Ferris, the guy who wrote The 4-hour Work Week, encourages setting times during the day that you check and respond to emails. This allows you to tackle the messages all at once as opposed to being interrupted all day with various emails that may or may not be important. Set a schedule and abide by it — this creates efficiency and margin in your work day.

Put the TV out of sight. Skye Jethani once told me his family philosophy on television is to, “have it outside the life-flow of the house.” This is a practical and useful strategy, as it’s no longer a peripheral distraction as you walk from your kitchen through the living room to the bedroom. Personally, my TV is in the basement “entertainment room,” and it’s true — out of sight is out of mind. This can be especially useful when kids come in the picture, as the TV can become a binky for the brain.

Phone fast. Go outside once in a while without your phone, I know this seems unreasonable, but I believe it is important to find time free from the possibility of distraction, as I have found possibility always means inevitability when it comes to technology.

Intentional time with God. My pastor was telling me about Eugene Peterson, the author and pastor, who every week takes a 3-hour walk with his wife in complete silence! Afterward, they sit and discuss their thoughts and what (if anything) they heard from God. This is an unconfirmed report on Eugene Peterson’s life, but true or not seems to be a great way to be intentional with your life partner and God.

Begin your day social media-free. Don’t check your email, Facebook, Twitter, or other social media outlets until after breakfast. This one is difficult for me, but seems to be the most beneficial, as it gives me time to sit, eat, and read the Bible before jumping in the furious interaction found within the Internets.

The fact of the matter is, finding margin in your life is ultimately up to you and it is rooted in discipline and intentionality.

I want to hear from you — what other ways can we unplug and create margin?

Thanks for sharing, Sam! By the way, Sam Duregger is a talented writer from Iowa, and he’s getting married on Saturday. Keep up with him at www.duregger.net or on Twitter: @duregger.

via collidemagazine.com

Thank you Collide for some great content!

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Unplug (via CollideMagazine) - balancing a life of constant "availability"

2010-02-18T11:20:00.002-06:00

Great article form Collide Magazine. Do you need to "Unplug"? Be sure to read the ENTIRE article.

Unplug

Sam Duregger - Originally posted Monday, February 15, 2010 - Comments (0)

There was a time when I was working as a Project Manager for a digital innovations team at a large church in the Bible Belt and living in a tent. It was a dichotomous lifestyle that changed the way I interact with people, the environment, and technology.

During the day I was plugged into the matrix, working on a team that prided itself on developing innovative web applications for the Church. It was a multi-layered environment, much like Grey’s Anatomy, except monogamous and straight edge. What I mean is it was a fast-paced, collaborative environment with multiple threads, all tied to an overarching meta-narrative related to creating new technology-driven tools for churches. It was sexy, it was cool, and it was exhausting.

After work, I would drive or bike to my campsite, settled among 15 acres of woodland in Metro Oklahoma City. I called it “TentLife.” It was a place to unplug and unwind, where everything took longer and nothing was easy. (Find out more about TentLife at www.tentlife.net.)

keep reading...

via collidemagazine.com

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A departure: The iPad - Love? Hate? A realistic review of the iPad.

2010-02-03T00:51:00.002-06:00

OK, so I am going off my usual topics of conversation for this one, but get a little annoyed with some of the things I've read regarding Apple's new iPad. As a Apple user, I am continually amazed by the technology they are putting out.

I have heard people praise Apple for their innovation, and others slam Apple for missing the boat on this one...

Let me make a few comments:

1. iPad is not a well chosen name. Others have pointed this out, I needn't explain why. iSlate (as rumored) or iTablet would have been met with much better responses.

2. iPad is not a "tablet" like we know already. Most tablet computers on the market previously were full fledged computers - often running a slightly altered version of Windows but capable of utilizing most of the software available for that OS. The iPad is a new kind of tablet that is somewhere between the smartphone and the laptop. You can't install your OS X software on it and replace your computer, but you can do more on it than a smartphone, especially given it's size. In fact, some functions (at this point) are dependent on owning a fully capable computer (to sync with iTunes).

3. iPad will not have the broad appeal of the iPhone, the iPod, or any of the Apple computers available. It will be a "niche" device that will only be enjoyed by the lucky few (though that could still be millions). Let me explain. It is too big to replace my iPod, too weak to replace my laptop, and too expensive to justify owning one without replacing an existing device. That will be the lament of the "average joe". So who will buy it??? (see point 4)

4. iPad will have a market. I don't know if it will be as big as Apple hopes, but anyone seriously considering a Kindle or other e-book reader will have to check out the iPad as it does so much more than those devices, at only a little more cost. Again, this will be for those who can justify the expense of that "extra" device (beyond smartphone/laptop). There also may be some out there who would like the larger format that this device brings to the "PDA" functionality available on smart phones and the iPod Touch. Though I think that will be a small category of consumers. I am curious how the "casual home user" will approach this device. Personally I would love for my wife to have a simple device for her Facebook, email, browsing, etc., but for the same price we can get a fully capable Windows laptop (yes, I know that is a bit of a contradiction) that can run Microsoft Office and any other Windows program available. Or we can get a netbook for even less, with less power, but still more options for software and functionality than the iPad...

5. iPad's "touch" based user experience is VERY desirable! It is much more desirable than clicking a mousepad. I love my iPod Touch and how it is so easy and natural to use, but it is so small. I would love to be able to have that same user experience on a larger scale! Now, when it comes to typing long documents, the physical keyboard is still king, though most of us have not had the experience of a nearly full size virtual keyboard like that on the iPad. I look forward to playing with one in the Apple Retails Store when they become available!

6. What would cause me to invest in one??? For me personally to move to an iPad would either require me to get a large raise so I could financially justify such a "niche" device. OR, the capabilities would have to be on par with a netbook or discount laptop in the same price range (for home use). If I could install OS X software (like iLife/iWork) on the iPad and hook up peripherals when needed, then I would really consider the move.

So, in conclusion, Apple haters and Apple hypers both need to calm down and be realistic about this device. Ultimately the market will determine how well it does... First glance, however, suggests it won't have the mass market appeal of the iPods or iPhone, and it isn't the "tablets" that we are familiar with (which may be good since tablets haven't done well historically). I look forward to future iterations of this product to see if/how it evolves.

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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In case there is any doubt, I have no affiliations with any companies or products above. Though I sure wouldn't mind if Apple wanted to give me an iPad to review...

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Books I read and found useful in 2009

2010-02-02T08:31:00.002-06:00

This is an incomplete list of books I read and found useful in 2009.

Sticky Church by Larry Osborne

It is about small group philosophy and how they used sermon based small groups to pastor and disciple their congregation.

Less Clutter, Less Noise by Kem Meyer

Kem explores the issues of communications in the church and how to better simplify and streamline the messages we send.

Just A Walk Across the Room by Bill Hybels

We actually did a six week campaign based on this book (though we didn't use the "official" campaign material to accompany it). It is a good reminder of the importance of evangelism on the individual, not just the church, level.

Axiom by Bill Hybels

A book of individual leadership axioms that is a great resource when you need a short leadership oriented piece for training or working with leaders.

Organic Community by Stephen Meyer

This one is about organizing church around organic principles. I like the big idea of it, though I think Stephen may push the details a bit. Some of the "organic" things we have tried have worked well, and some have flopped.

Church is a Team Sport by Jim Putnam

I am not finished with this one about organizing church around discipleship/coaching model. I first met Jim at Group's LifeServe conference in Loveland, CO back in October. The story of their church growing from a church plant to 8,000 in Idaho is amazing. What is more amazing is their strong call to discipleship and their ability to resist the "bigger and better" mindset that plagues american churches. Real Life Ministries

FOCUS - the third book in the REVEAL series by Willow Creek

It is about catalyzing spiritual growth in individuals through the church. Still working through this one, but the other two books are vital for anyone who thinks about how to grow people spiritually.

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Giveaways - WorshipHouse Media 12 Days of Christmas

2009-12-07T11:15:00.002-06:00

For those who are interested, WorshipHouse Media is giving away some resources during the month of December. It is a "12 Days of Christmas" giveaway.
Check it out here: http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/twelvedays#

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Three Essentials for Strategic Church or Ministry Branding « MEDIA SALT

2009-11-24T10:59:00.002-06:00

Good article on "branding" for your church. May be a little more than some churches are ready for, but we should always challenge ourselves a little bit.
Be sure to check out Mediasalt andMinistry Marketing Coach as they both have further articles on these topics.
Jason Cooper | @cooperjason
Cooper-ation Resourcing

Three Essentials for Strategic Church or Ministry Branding
By Guest Blogger Wednesday October 7, 2009

Ministries and churches have the opportunity to reach their communities with the love and truth of Christ and to amplify their efforts through strategic brand development.
Yet at a leadership level, there seems to be a lot of confusion about branding. What is it? Why does it matter? How do we do it? Is it different than marketing? Everyday, in consulting with ministry leaders throughout the country, these and many other questions surface.
Branding concepts can be inherently elusive and difficult to define. For some leaders, there’s also resistance toward something that smacks of the questionable methods of Corporate America. This mindset reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature and purpose of branding.
Once past these mental barriers, ministry leaders can begin to leverage the strengths of strategic brand development and harness its raw power.

1. Understand branding concepts as tools to do ministry more effectively.
It’s important to correctly understand and properly define branding. How many times have you heard someone describe a church logo as its brand? Yet branding is much more than a logo. A logo is just one of many brand identifiers, but not the brand itself. I talk more about this here.
Here are a few definitions of branding that illustrate the difficulty in nailing this down:

To burn a distinctive mark into or upon with a hot iron, to indicate quality, ownership, etc., or to mark as infamous (as a convict).

A person’s perception of a product, service, experience or organization. The Dictionary of Brand A-Z

A distinguishing symbol, mark, logo, name, word, sentence, or a combination of these items that companies use to distinguish their product from others in the market.

A promise to your members or constituents.

Branding is the art of becoming knowable, likable and trustable. Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch

2. Stay focused on the stuff that matters.
Ultimately, good ministry branding is about speaking the truth in love in such a way that it resonates with people. It’s about loving them truthfully. These two spiritual dynamics connect them with the people of God and the heart of God. It is true that humans want and need love, but they also want to be challenged by the truth claims of the Gospel. These are the alluring twins of ministry that when combined and intentionally nurtured, connect with the hearts and minds of mortals. Ministries can’t go wrong when they stay centered here.
But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ. (Ephesians 4:15 HCSB)

3. Distinguish between brand identity and brand story.
Corporate identities, logos, websites, marketing collateral, etc., are all part of a brand’s identity. Identities serve to express a brand’s essence and ethos. They are simply visual and tangible symbolic representations of the brand.
The brand story, is a coherent set of messages that articulate the meaning of a brand. The tighter the messages, along with the strategies and execution of sharing those messages, the more clarity there will be surrounding the ministry’s brand story.
So, you want to build a vibrant and effective church or ministry brand? Foster a spirit and environment where truth and love permeate every inch of the place. Then, articulate your brand story and develop a brand identity that beautifully reflects and communicates that spirit.
That’s good branding.
Today’s post was written by Kerry Bural, the principal of The Resonate Group, a church and ministry brand consulting and development firm. Kerry blogs at Ministry Marketing Coach . You can follow him@KerryBural.

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Are you listed on the iPhone? Check out AppChurch (@appchurch)

2009-11-19T21:11:00.003-06:00

I have previously posted about a new iPhone app called AppChurch. It is an app that is essentially one big church directory. You can sign up to have your church listed for free, or pay for premium features.

It is easy to miss the fact you can get a free listing. The frontpage only mentions that it is free for 30 days, but notice the bottom of the screen grab below that mentions the "free plan". It is simply a basic listing that includes your church logo, name, address, website, phone, and service times (not just one field for service times, but many).

Just go to AppChurch.com and click on the "see plans and pricing" link at it will take you to the page above. Or go right to the "free plan" link.

Once there, you can fill out the basic information and upload your logo and you are in... If you want to post sermons or events, you will have to pay a monthly fee, but the listing is free. In fact, if AppChurch is to succeed, all of us cheapskates out there should list our churches so there are plenty of listings to make the app worth downloading.

Here are some screen shots of my churches free listing.

This is the "home page" for our church.

This shows the possibilities to list multiple services and programs.

Of course, basic contact info that are active links...

As you can see, not many churches have been listed. Only 6 in our category, with the AG and Baptists leading the pack at only 28 & 30 listings. Let's see if we can bring that up!

NOTE: I previously posted that it would not load on the iPod Touch. The recent update changed that. Now it is on the iPhone and Touch.

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Email Marketing for FREE! MailChimp

2009-11-18T10:43:00.002-06:00

There are plenty of options out there when it comes to email marketing. Some simply choose to use more basic options like Google or Yahoo email groups, and some choose a fully featured email marketing provider. Usually the issue is cost.

For smaller ministries, who have less than 500 email contacts, you can use a fully featured email marketing provider for FREE! Not just free for 30 days, free forever as long as your contact list remains below 500 individual email addresses.

The service I am referring to is MailChimp. While we do not personally use MailChimp in my organization (we just switched paid service providers and paid for 6 months in advance) we probably would have if we had run across MailChimp when we were looking to switch. Free for up to 500 emails and 3,000 emails each month.

My church runs about 700 average attendance in worship and we have around 400 email contacts. So this is a great option for small and medium sized ministries.

Jason Cooper (@cooperjason)

Cooper-ation Ministry Resourcing

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Is your ministry online? "Get Your Church Online: What’s Your Address? - ChurchCrunch.com"

2009-11-14T21:58:00.001-06:00

This looks to be a great series of article for the ministry that is still just getting into this "internet" thing. It comes from churchcrunch, so be sure to check them out and subscribe via RSS so you can get all the rest of these posts.

Jason Cooper @cooperjason

This is a guest post by Tom McFarlin

When it comes to maintaining an online presence, the modern church is not exactly flourishing. To make matters even more challenging, the church is still about four years behind everyone else with respect to technology.

Finding – and affording – good designers and good developers is hard so it’s typically up to volunteers to step up to help contribute to the cause.

But there’s a problem: The Internet is a big place. A really big place.

When you sit down to begin building a site, there’s a lot of stuff out there you must sift through – various services, applications, technologies, and so on. Unless you’ve got a background in web development, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of this information let alone trying to even find a starting point.

Processing all of this stuff is like drinking from a fire hose. But I’d like to try to slow the flow a little bit.

Each week, I’m going to toss out a couple tools, utilities, applications, and/or best practices that are geared towards those of you that are looking to bring your church online but lack the time to invest in all the research.

Ready? Let’s go.

Where do I start?

Forget about development. Simply finding a place to begin is an incredibly daunting task.

Do I build the site first, or should I find a good host? I don’t even know how to register a domain. What’s the best editor for creating a website? What’s CSS? JavaScript? What’s coffee gotta do with it? It looks nasty. MySQL? I didn’t even know I had an SQL! I thought Ajax was some kind of bleach.

Yeah. I know. So. much. stuff. But that’s okay – we’ll get to it eventually. There’s really no well-defined, clear-cut place to start so we’ll pick one.

Address Availability

Your website has gotta have a place to live. Sure, there are a lot of free hosts out there, but rarely are you gonna find a church site hosted at Blogspot or Tripod. A domain name is your address on the information superhighway.

That was a lame pun and I apologize.

Still, if you want to have a relevant, easy-to-remember site then it helps to have a good domain name. Here are three services – in no particular order – that make it incredibly easy to see if your domain name is available all of which feature the results in real time.

Instant Domain Search is arguably the simplest of the three. Enter the domain name that you’re interested in purchasing and it will give you the availability of the .com, .net, and .org equivalents in addition to several registrars that can be used to purchase it.

PCNames is very similar to Instant Domain Search in that it will provide results for your requested domain as well as a set of available registrars; however, this service also returns available domains featuring the suffixes for .info, .biz, .us, and .mobi.

Domai.nr is the mother of all web 2.0 domain searches. It will scan all of the available domains for the aforementioned suffixes as well as domains that can use the domain as part of the suffix. For example, say you’re considering purchasing a domain for a family night supper-oriented church called Lets Eat It. Domai.nr will return all available results including a suggestion for LetsEat.It. The word is part of the domain? Yep. Ultimate creativity.

There you go: three free applications you can use to begin setting up your church’s online presence. But what’s in a name? If you’ve got nothing to show for it, it’s not gonna be worth much.

Next, we’ll take a look at some of the more popular web hosts and things to consider before purchasing some space for your stuff.

[Image from B Tal]

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