Mobile Ministry Magazine

A Saturday Interruption
You'd have to pardon me for posting this on Saturday (when I usually like to rest) but it was well enough stated at Think Christian that I had to share:

...in Christian culture, the "long tail" phenomenon can be seen in the explosion of mission and ministry opportunities available to the "average Joe"-from mission work abroad to ministry work at home, individual Christians now have the connections and tools to make a significant impact...

Read the rest of the posting and share your thoughts on how MMM and other websites help to create/expand this new phenoma of culture or if doing so is actually counterproducctive to the actual work of sharing the Gospel.
- sent from Treo

One of the biggest challenges in this day and age is simply keeping in touch. The internet has truly made the world smaller; here I am at MMM, in fellowship with people I readily refer to as brothers, who I pray for daily, but have not even met physically yet. Such is the 21st century.

How do we manage all the latent data? To be effective ministers-on-the-go, to do His work, we have to find a way to produce material fast - and that usually starts with keeping effective contact information. Then, you have to be able to coordinate a hectic schedule that usually involves those contacts.

There are plenty of applications that can handle this on a computer or laptop. But how about if you go through your day with mainly a PDA or smartphone based on Palm OS?

If you need more functionality than the built-in Palm OS PIMs provide, you may want to try Agendus for Palm by iambic.


Agendus promised to be the ultimate personal assistant. You know, the office help without the stereotypical long breaks and eavesdropping. I decided to see if it could stand up to that promise.

The first plus was that if you're concerned with the footprint, you can rest your fears somewhat. Agendus runs great off SD cards.

Agendus asserted itself handily from the initial start-up, pulling in my schedules and tasks from my built-in software. There was no lapses, and everything came out right.
I found out the same applied to my contacts and memos.

After marvelling at that for a second, I took the time to study the interface. Now, if you've read my reviews before, you'll know I am big on appearance. Why be ordinary? Why be just black or white when you can be colorful?
Agendus satisfied that craving as well. Its Preferences tab allows you to truly customize your program, making it an extension of you. The "Vivid Agenda" function allows one to even have fixed icons for specific sets. The colors available, coupled with the icons, took up a lot of my time.
You can also pull pictures from your media files and use them as backgrounds, or just play with stock colors.

The opening section was a "Today" screen of sorts, showing my current appointments and ones coming up soon. I put the program through the paces, and appreciated the way it set up my appointments for me. For irregularly reoccurring but same-type meetings and tasks, I was able to create a template for easy and efficient recall.

Of particular interest was the "Free Time Finder" function. Simply put, I was blown away. This function was superb in the advanced mode, allowing those of us with busy schedules to find precious time to fit in important things. It allowed me to search in time increments of as little as 5 minutes, and it allowed me to exclude blocks of reserved time. I could pick a day, or the entire week to search.

For someone like me, who coaches, works, volunteers, ministers and has a family, this feature is a must-have.

Agendus allows one to schedule almost anything under the sun. Meetings, calls, tasks, and even trips. You can write create memos directly from Agendus. After picking the calendar view you want, it is easy to see just where you should be and what you should be doing at any given time.

Let me add here that this program is perfect for upgrading to a Treo. So much of it's functionality is tied in to quickly retrieving or sending data wirelessly. The ability to link a meeting to a contact is enhanced by being able to call directly from your device. The Power Search tool is able to use internet sites. In the Trip planning area, you can check weather as well. You can click and get directions to a contact address by using Mapquest (or simply use Mapoplis on a card). Another great function is the voice recorder which is accessible from the memo function (not tested).

Another feature I fell in love with was the Sketch function. Need to add a quick note to a previously written memo? Need to hand draw some directions quickly? Rather just jot down a number instead of keying it in? You got it; the sketch utility was created for you. So, say, you have a meeting scheduled, and need to add some info to it on your device quicly. Open the meeting, tap on sketch, and do what you gotta do.
The sketch function actually became a game of sorts for me, with it's ability to make perfect circles and other geometrical shapes.

Simply put, time (and bandwith restrictions) won't permit me to completely touch what this program can do.

I also took another iambic title, EasyNotes for a spin. It is a customizable note application with a very unique twist. it allows you to record your thoughts to memory card, be it a doodle, written by stylus, keyed and even voice. Yep... you read right. You can record "voice" notes. Alas! I can finally rehearse for American Idol in private...

Versions of Agendus are also available for Windows desktop and Symbian OS.

A week spent using only Agendus as my datebook left me well inpressed and satisfied. If you are like me, busy to the point you have to sometimes schedule devotion time, this software would be a blessing.

Annie (who is an absolute angel) and the rest of the iambic crew get top scores in customer service from this writer, for patient and quick answers. If you have any questions, you can reach them at the the iambic site .

YIC, with regards,
Tre Lawrence

While looking at an article at BBHub about the recently released BlackBerry Pearl, there was a note of a site conducting an 81 day experiment to see what some of the newer/more popular smartphones are like.

I have started reading this and am on day 5 (of 81) of the Palm 700p (Verizon Wireless) talk. If you are looking at smartphones and looking for a review that isn't so technical and deals into the everyday dealings of these connected devices, this seems to be an excellent series.

A few articles I have come my way today that I feel are on the leading edges of [mental] groundbreaking and at the same time, chock with enough info to get you spinning for days.

The first article is found via an interview conducted at M-Trends. Yasmine Abbas is interviewed on the subjects of mobile living (neo-nomads) and how mobile tech is changing and will continue to change our ideas of what social interaction really is.

The second article is a bit deeper in thought, and at the same time as far reaching in scope. (Via Smart Mobs, via Putting People First) The subject of using of technology to support religious practices is explored in a research paper by Dr. Genevieve Bell. I haven't read the paper yet, I only got thru teh first few pages and the sites that have linked to it. However, knowing what people are looking for (a relationship with God) and how they are looking for it (thru tech in some respects) and what this means across all religions is a healthy topic to not just digest, but understand for its appropriate applications. The paper is linked via the Putting People First article, but I will not link it here due to some clarity concerning issues of copyright expressed in that article.

The third (and final) article comes from Michael Mace of Mobile Opportunity. Michael Mace worked for Palm and Apple and very much understands the mobile computing space. This artcle written by him is featured at the Rubicon Consulting company (where he is employed) and speaks towards understanding not so much mobile technology, but how it fits within the greater context of the web and what's next to take communication by storm. Its another excellent read, and honestly had me very excited by the time I got finished reading it because I don't know what will happen, only that God's hands are all up in it :)

There is a slew of reading to get thru because of this post, but I can tell you that understanding the effects of tech (mobile, web, history, etc.) will only make you and the ministries that you work with more effective in making sure that it is a solution to an issue, and not just an affulence to a greater problem.

EdIt: I am adding one more item to this list from Wired News speaking about the human touch aspect of technology. Not only a good read, but something to consider when you actually do return communicative acts to another electronically.

Its been a known fact for many years now that most anything that you want to know about, you can get online and spend little time in a search engine and get it. I can remember in the initial years I was in college how professors tried to keep you from even using too many online resources because there was so much content and they didnt know how (and didnt have the time to) check the sources.

Well, it seems that the ante has eben stepped up a bit on the educational side of things by many universities who offer free courses and/or course materials via their websites.

So you have no excuse for going into any discussion not knowing how to break down the Word into bite sized pieces. There are free courses that you can take that will get you up to speed at your speed.

via LifeHacker, via Gizmodo

EDIT: just know that some of those courses are free, but none are for credit. You got to pay to get university credit ;)

An interesting post has just been posted at ChurchTechMatters. Here is a snippet:

How do you, as a pastor or a church leader, know that your church is utilizing technology the most effective way possible...On the one hand, we need to be in tune with the Lord’s leading, which will put us on track to make decisions for our church that enhance the ministry and expand Christ’s reach. At the same time, we need to be aware of what is working for other churches and learn from their successes. Also, look beyond the church world and see what’s working in the “real” world and maybe learn something practical in that way...

Read the rest of the posting and how do you address this in your fellowship?

I know that many times we talk here at MMM about how one can use the technology and its ability to connect people to communicate and do some neat things. But for me, the past few days has been spent thinking about my grandfather who recently passed (hence the lack of posts).

Something that I am doing as a means of me giving tribute to him is to use my Treo to build a memorial to him on my personal website using much of what I have learned about CSS (cascading stylesheets) and webdesign. There is a program that I have been using called DragonEdit that allows for me to edit the HTML and CSS that drive my personal site. And the fact that it is on my Treo allows me to do those edits anywhere and not really have to wait until I get in front of a larger computer to do things (though I need to do so when it comes to testing and that sort).

In a broader context, this is a larger way that mobile devices help us to access the world around us and create connections where previously there was little way to, or that it was too expensive for the "lower than rich man" to do. With the opening yesterday of the .mobi domain, there is yet another way that one can take advantage of the web as a means to join people and places. However, I do feel (like many of you) that the missing and most neglected aspect of computing has been the people aspect. Communicating is a lot of fun, but doing it with people (and not to people) seems to make a richer experience of things all around.

When that context is taken in lieu of MMM's vision, we see that ministry with tech isn't just a matter of getting people to know that tech is here to serve in a particular capacity, but that we are built to serve within that capacity of service for the benefit of others. From that these tools help to facilitate the more sketchy ends of getting things done. By no means is a mobile device the only way to do business, ministry was done way before tech decided to go silicon and transistors. However, with the advent of this technology, many people find themselves increasingly disconneted from the immediate world around them. If we use this technology responsively to firm up these ends, chances are that we end up with more than just a device to play with, but a new use for communicating that could go beyond the end of the "dash."

Note: The eBible link goes to a bookmark with a note attached to it. If you have not yet tried eBible, the shared bookmarking feature is really well implemented and works very well within most major web browsers.
Note 2: I started this thought last night, but want to know what you all think about using mobile tech in this way - let's discuss :)

Hello all. My name is Matt and I am new to the team at MMM. While I love using my T3 for Bible study, message preparation, and personal organization, my real passion is making disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As an Associate Pastor at an evangelical church, I never cease to be amazed at the uses that a Palm OS device has for my ministry, work, and play. My children love my Palm because I have loaded some cartoons on it to view with TCPMP. My wife loves it because I can be peeled away from it much more easily than a 15" monitor. I love it because it lets me be with those that I love more and still accomplish all that needs to be done in the life of a energetic and passionate (and busy) church.

My hope is that our passion for His work is only ecplipsed by our passion for Him.

A few items of note that have passed thru my browser this weekend.

The first comes from the office of eat anything you want to but eat modestly (ok, so I made that up, but you all know the rountine). CalorieKing is some excellent software for those moments when you have just filled up on the Word, but then get some hunkering for bread and water of the non-spiritual kind. CalorieKing allows you see what it is that you are eating and make a plan for yourself that would have you eating healither in no time. Check it out and download it for your PalmOS PDA (there is also a larger Windows version of this software available too).

Another piece of software, this one chatted about at Palm Addict, is called Bible Verse. Designed to be a bit like a devotional and an easy reference to subjects in Scripture that are sometimes hard to remember, Bible Verse comes with a slew of features to help you stay on the Word quite efficiency. Bible Verse is shareware and can be purchased from PalmGear for $7USD.

Speaking of Bible verses, last week was added the RSS to the Verse of the Day (from BibleGateway). You can click on the RSS feed icon and be able to download into your RSS reader the verse of the day.

In thinking about this new software that I am using on my Treo, I am thinking about teh various Bible software that I have used and whether it really maximizes my mind/abilities when it comes to using it. This is not to say that Bible+ is not good enough for me, it very much is. However, in the last less than a day of using TypeRight, I have different expectations for software that proposes not just to be info-holding, but info-retrieval and sharing.

For example, I am very much moved away from using BibleGateway as a main reference when at a browser because of the ability to tag and annotate search results in eBible. I find that I many times see something understood better if I am looking for it in a particular context and eBible really does that for me (though BibleGateway by far offers more versions and commentaries than even what I can fit on my Palm). But then I look at Bible+ and it really is a cludge sometims to get where I want to get to (sure I use the shortcuts for everything, but its not intuitive). I am wondering could be done on a total mobile scale that would not just make Bible reading easier, but more accessible as well (something like a TypeRight that's half online and a Bible app too).

My thoughts flow like this
- a Bible reader in the vein of Bible+ where the reader is free, as well as the majority of the content (the latter varies per country for legal reasons)
- an ability to search content saved on one's device, but then also access content online/wirelessly (such as have a Bible locally, but in your "online personal area" have resources such as commentaries, lexicons, and additional Bibles that may not fit on one's device)
- an ability to bookmark and annotate but then share those bookmarks/notes via that "online personal area" or just keep them saved on one's device for personal use
- a mobile accessible online area where one can admin tags, join communities, and read testimonies of others who have this program and share it.

The benefits of a system like this are many. One big one is that you have the use of Bibles that are copyrighted and therefore publishers don't lose out. Then you have the advantage of no matter what device you have, you have a reader that can get you the Bible. While that can look like a Java program for some, it might be browser based with some plugging into a program/applet/extension one installs. Then, it creates community. People not just share the Word, but share their experiences as they read the Word. Its not limited to when you get to a "big" computer and can sit and document your thoughts, but as the moment that God hits you can be "out of teh blue," so can your response in sharing it with others in your mobile (redefining the word local commnuity.

There is the aspect of this being very personal as well. Many times, people are willing to listen to one share the Gospel with them, but may not want to read in the presence of others. A mobile Bible like this gives the ability to take that Bible into one's personal area, and then let God chat some with their hearts. And then when they are ready, they can go to their online space via that mobile device, and share what it is God has done on their heart.

It's only a thought. But I get these every once and a while when here at work and wondering where MMM can go next. Honestly, I'd love for MMM to make this available. Give me the app developers, web developers, and marketing and hands down, it would be successful. And not because it takes away from what Laridian, OliveTree, PoetryPoon/Bible+ have done, but it takes what they have started and just makes a genunine push towards sharing this Gospel we know and hold to while getting us away from our homes and into the hearts and lives of those who would most benefit.

Today has been anything but mobile-focued for me. I am at work now updating websites, writing articles, and just flat out thinking hard about what is next in the mobile space.

One of the probably more interesting articles today has come from PocketPC Thoughts and their coverage fo the Microsoft Mobius 2006 conference/workshop. Micrsoft (MS) basically opens their doors to what has been brewing on behind the scenes and some of which is here, and others which are coming and should be incredibly exciting. One of the best aspects of the article has to be found on page 7, that has some notable facts and points about mobile devices and services that should serve as a notice that this field is incredibly young and ripe for leadership. Besides the devices and services, there is a whole huminization of technology that is being not only explored, but used.

That is not to say that there have not been other articles. Yahoo Mobile Web search has been updated (MobileRead). And there is a new app in beta from the folks at StandAlone software called TypeRight that makes interacting with one's PalmOS Treo a lot better (I even wrote about it last night because I was so impressed with TypeRight).

All in all, I can say that there has been a busy day on top of me, but in terms of that which can go mobile, life is only starting to hit its Monday :)

Admission of sorts: running a magazine is hard, doing it with a website that needs constant attention too is even harder. I should have probanly thought about that a bit more when first launching MMM, but alas, one cannot turn back the clock to those decsions, we must grow and move on.

I spotted a few websites today via my RSS feed that might of some encouragement to you who are tech/ministry-based, or just wondering how the Body of Christ is adapting to this new media.

The first site is called The Godbit Project. From their Purpose+Vision page:
The purpose of this site is to help the Church catch up with the rest of the world in adherence to standards given by the World Wide Web Consortium, the governing body of best-practices on the Internet. The majority of Christian web design agencies are using outmoded methods of coding to create websites that the rest of the world would scoff at. Basically, they are stuck in the 1990’s. // This is so common in fact, that the term “Christian” when associated with the Internet has become synonymous with “sub-par...

You can read the rest of their purpose and vision. But it is clear that not all folks are sitting down when it comes to chatting up the matters of tech and integration with ministry. It's just not always a loud voice (some argue effectiveness is here though and I agree in some part, but numbers didn't matter to Israel or the NT church).

The other site is pretty well known in thet techie crowd (we need to work on a language to translate for non-techies); but not so much outside of it (its seems). The site is aclled SonSpring and I honestly found the site by a search from a co-worker who was looking for a solution for something web-dev related. Well me, I get to a site, I like the design/vision, I start looking around, and next then you know I am emailing the site owner as it was great to find a solid resource from someone (much better) skilled in the areas of user and experience design.

There is not much more else that I can say (as it has taken me nearly an hour to write this due to primary committments), but I did sense this morning that it was a good thing to be in this spot where we are not looking towards traditional means of communication and interaction to share the Gospel, create Godly communitities, and then also just be a bit holy and set apart from the normal course of things.

So does it mean going mobile in our offerning and focus - most def (just wait till we can get things honed on our end)

But it also means that the function of ministry is changing, and adapting to a culture that needs Christ in more ways than ever before. Ain't this a fun ride.

I had just sent this into Palm Addict as a user thought, but its relevancy here was too much for me to wait until it was posted there.

For me, my Treo has been great as a manager of all those things life related. From listening to music via PocketTunes in the morning/evening communite, to reading Quick News, to just taking a quiet moment in the park to just read (Bible+) and blog (Mo:Blog); my Treo has been a great stable option in this changing time for me.

However, my trade is that of a website developer and mobile computing (fill in the blank, who knows the title of what it is I do). My Treo more than is suitable at getting the job done, except when it comes to the web. A DNS fix made it possible for me to receive faster browsing, but the browser still needs a lot of help when it comes to browsing, and then taking that info into other programs. I really do wish that Palm would have released Blazer in the same manner they did the VersaMail 3.5 update. Just the simple feature of being able to cache pages correctly so that there is no reloading everytime I switch out of the browser would be a big help. Alas, I see no updates, major or minor coming for Blazer. And those working on a new browser for the PalmOS might be using something Java-based, not native .prc.

However, working in DC has reinitiated me to the culture of mobile data. And contrary to the last stint of communiting, people are now carrying smarpthones and looking at them as viable means to holding down content. I think that in some respects, the major iPod boon is over (nice device, but the first smartphone that makes it iPod-simple to integrate music with an online music store that can get the music without a computer like in Japan (see this article at Read/WriteWeb)). I don't see the same intensity as there is overseas, but that doesn't mean that it won't happen.

To me, the culture of mobile data, connectivity, and usability is the '3' of the Treo that we just might be missing. Sure, online and offline data management are keys, but its the culture of those things as it integrates with the devices and our lives that makes using these devices fun. Seriously, would we even be talking about palm addicts if there was nothing that a palm did simply enough to create a site about. Its that reason that I think, no, I know that the tech culture of our world is changing, and possibly to a point where we all are addicts in our own right, but addicts to community because of the devices and humanity that those devices let us share together.

Greetings all;
Things are getting a bit full over here and MMM has the need of someone skilled in graphic design (web design also would be a plus) for some spot work with MMM. Contact us if you are interested in an opportunity to expand your portfolio, and liven things up for the MMM audience.

Oh Yea, Its Coming
And so the movement is on. What movement ou ask? The one the again takes the church into areas of relevancy that spea to the changing of hearts, and sometimes culture as a whole.

While it has been the better part of the past few weeks where I have been personally discouraged at the church and its response to the growing net/mobile computing culture we live and work in. There seems to be a growing voice of people and places that are responding to the need for God to dirext tech invarious ways.

Of couse, like any new media, there are bumps and missteps all over the place
If you would have asked me a few days ago I would have said that MMM is a great idea,but that I reached too far. But as I sit on the Metro listening to Delerious sing "God is bigger than the air I breathe, this life we'll leave" (My Glorious); I realize that MMM is a part of a bigger and very much happening move: this generation needs God by any media necessary. How about glorifying Him like that and just turning the world on its ear (him that have ears to hear....) for something a bit bugger than us? :-)
- sent from Treo

Mike Rhode has recently written up an excellent review of the iGo Pitch Duo, which he uses with his Treo for presentations.

I'm a pastor and a Treo evangelist and user, who makes good use of my Treo for basic tasks: voice calls, SMS to-do lists, managing my calendar, taking pictures for my blog and editing Word and Excel spreadsheets.

Very often I use PowerPoint in my presentations, so the idea of using my Treo to operate PowerPoint, without the need for a laptop is quite attractive. When I saw the iGo Pitch Duo advertised on the Palm website, I was very interested in finding out if it might work for my presentation needs...

Here is the rest of the posting. How do you setup and go about doing presentations, and do you use your mobile device in the process?

Link via Palm Addict

EDIT: The review was done by Mike's brother Steve, apologies on the attribution.

In my constant looking for ways to not have to do more work than what is needed to illustrate a point (seriously, I don't like paper handouts in a room full of computers and handhelds, nor do I like speaker notes in one file, a presentation in another, and then note cards - one file can do it if preparation is done). In my wanderings on the web, I came across an illustration of using HTML to make slide shows.

Now I know, why would one want to use a web browser to show slide shows when PowerPoint is dang near everywhere? Simplly becaue PP isn't. Many times your users want to download the presentation later (and hosting large PP presentations adds up) or view the presentation on alternate mediums (mobile devices, wide screen laptops, print, etc.) and hard coded PPs do not always fit the bill.

See this HTML slide show, and I would definitely recommend it the next time that you are looking to do a presentation. Yes, it is a bit harder to setup than going into PP and just making something from there. But in this case you can use it more places with fewer headaches.

Another reason to look at this format is that even if you are not graphic savy, you can have someone in your organization who is work on the graphics (if that is their specality) and then you would just be left to create the content, further putting various aspects of the Body to work for a combined vision.

A good look at why using Bible programs is a profitable investment for pastors is dicussed at The Gadget Pastor. Here is a snippet:

...Why use a Bible program? I think the main reason that I have used a Bible program is it decreases my time searching thru reference books like Strongs, Vines, etc. With these programs that kind of flipping pages searching is over. What could take several minutes now only takes a few seconds. This so it makes me a better manager of my time and more effective as a pastor...

Read the rest and get suited up :)

I have a rant prepared, but will hold off on it for now and will just ask this:

How can we better work together for sharing the Gospel? For example, how can MMM fellowship and build with sites such as The Gadget Pastor and Church Tech Matters to better walk out the Gospel as a Body, and be more effective in shaing the heart of the Word (love the Lord with all..., love your neighbor...) with the entire world community online and offline?

From PDA 24/7:
...In my view a well specified mobile device with good connectivity is great for times of need but not for daily PC use- many sites and magazines have talked about PDAs replacing Laptops but let's get real in reality there are too many things you need to do on a 'proper' PC that a PDA is simply not suitable for from a hardware point of view...

Tis a great discussion, and one needs to read the entire posting to see how this conclusion was come to. But for you, could you use a smartphone or PDA for a little while if your main computer had some issues?

Just sitting awake a lot longer than I should and a few notes just breezed in via email.

The first is about a recently relaunched website called The Gadget Pastor. Joshua and Michelle Burdick work out on this plot of Internet-land and they will be bringing to you news and notes about the tech world from a pastor's perspective. I can say for sure that Joshua is very much accomplished in writing (as he has frequently written postings at Palm Addict) and so stay tuned as he will be giving a lot of great information about how you as a pastor can be more effective in ministry.

The second item, sent to MMM from BobR, is just something that I will have to say that you will want to watch, and then save on your mobile device as one of those "things to just share." Click here to see what I speak of (and make sure that your volume is not too loud if you are viewing this at your office or in an area where lound sounds can be disturbing).

Mission Oriented, But People Centered
Greetings all. I hope that the lack of posts lately have not been too jarring. Part of that has been just general busyness on the endof the team here (life just tends to get in the way of fun, or something like that), but then the other part of that is just a general refocusing on what ministry really is.

One aspect of ministry, that is sometimes missed, but more from an individual perspecive than an organization one, is that of being mission oriented. In my time as a Christian, and in various aspects of ministry, there has been a general failing to encourage people to not just have faith, but have a faith that goes somewhere for the great good of people, and the ultimate glorifying of God. Being mission oriented, or having a vision/goal as it is sometimes called, is an aspect of the Christian faith that all too many times missed. But this only comes when you are pulgged into a Body that fosters people to having a vision that glorifies God, and when you are spending that time in prayer and worship, constantaly asking of God for opportunity and chance to share His love to others.

The other aspect is the flip side, which is being people centered. Being people centered means that you do have a vision or mission, but that your ultimate goal is to create relationships where God is free to be the ministering agent. This means simply as an organization to have your 't's crossed and 'i's dotted in matters of administration, but then also that the different aspects of your organization work towards their strengths in making sure that they create room for relationships to grow.

As I spend more time within MMM and just wanting to share the heart of God with tech/IT, I am understanding more and more that it is always about people. It is about getting in front of people, or providing a support or service that enables people to meet God just as they are. Yes, this means that in some cases that I have had to change my heart and mind towards some areas of operating, but it has also meant that I have had to step up in places where His name and presence is not as evident.

I do hope that this encourages you to investigate your life and the different areas that you are in and whether you are mission oriented and need to be more people centered, or if you are so people centered that you need to step back and clarify your vision. Balance is key in our lives in being effective, but more so is key because us being balanced allows God to shine thru us so that people are encouraged to better know Him (Matt. 5:14-16).
- sent from Treo

I'm an avid user of WORDsearch 7, as I've duly noted here before. Well, the lighter version of WORDsearch called Bible Explorer has now been made available for free by the Wordsearch Corporation.

Click Here to Download it!

Here is a list of what you get with this free application:

American Standard Version Bible (ASV)
GOD'S WORD Translation
King James Version (KJV)
Youngs Literal Translation (YLT)
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Morning and Evening (Devotional)
Eastons Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Bible Lands Map Set
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Explore Biblical Genealogies
Explore Topics Bundle (Prophecies; Life; Laws)
Nave's Topics
New Topical Textbook

With this application you also have the ability to purchase and unlock many other books and translations which you can then download and use within the application.

Download it today! It's truly a great free resource!

A blog that I have been reading for some time has taken a few mobile twists in the last two posts. Tony Dye speaks a lot about ChMS (church management systems), but this take is about his acquiring, setup, and initial use of the Cingular 8125. Take a read at his experiences, and know that it isn't like this for everyone (some folks have MMM people to call for these items ;) ), but there is some time that needs to be taken in getting acquainted with a new device or way of doing things.

...I've finally joined the Windows Mobile group. Having been a Palm user for quite a few years, but wanting to not be carrying multiple devices, I've been watching the Blackberry vs. Windows Mobile market for a while. Since we're a mostly Microsoft shop, and since the Windows Mobile devices sync relatively painlessly with Exchange Server, I had a bit of a bias. I just had trouble committing.
Read the rest of the first post.

...After nearly two weeks of frustration and delay, I had a technically working phone, but it was unusable. Trying to look at my calendar, or tasks, or email, was an exercise in patience. Actually, it was working, as long as you didn't mind things taking a minute or two to respond.
Read the rest of Tony's second post on his 8125.

A GREAT BIG THANKS to Antoine!

He got my Mobile Office Consulting site up last night.

Check it out at www.coosbaytv.com

I am so mad at myself right now. I messed up on what was a really great opportunity. You see, there was this call for papers a few weeks ago and I had been debating about whether to do the abstract in the hopes of being selected to present my paper on mobile tech and ministry (in progress, no sneak peeks just yet). But as I was sending the abstract out to a few folks this evening, I realized that the due date for the abstract submission was the 10th (a full three days ago!!!).

I sent the abstract immediately to the people that it has to go to, without getting any type of feedback at all. I do hope that the subject matter is such that they do approve my abstract. I really would like to see if writing an academic-type paper/presentaiton is something that I can do (never did it before, so I just don't know).

The really bad part was that I was so hyped about this after talking to Rebecca today. She is not so much the techie but said that it did interest her (she got a sneak peek of part two). Here's hoping that something happens. Below is the abstract for those who are interested in what I am writing about:

Exploring the Training of the Mobile Minister within Mobile Technology

The paper takes detailed look at the oncoming uses of mobile technology as a social and lifestyle element for ministerial pursuits on local and global levels. By first looking at the historical changes in communication technology as it has pertained to the Christian church, one assumes then that the Internet and mobile computer technology is next to take a foothold within informational and applications-based services and programs performed by the Christian church. This is not a separate course from the original mission of the Christian church to share the Gospel and good service (Matthew 28: 18-20, New Testament), but this paper aims to show that a rededication to that original vision within the range of mobile technology will have far reaching effects in making permanent the positive benefits of the Internet and mobile technology throughout all levels of society and culture. The significance of this realization on the part of the Christian church gives a much needed frame of reference to the current generations of people who did not grow up within the confines of Christian-led church societal norms of the church's relevancy in day-to-day matters, and also positions the Christian church as a standards bearer of the moral and ethical aspects of computing that consumerism cannot (by its very design) contain.

I know I am guilty of getting a product/service and wishing that this or that was done better/differently. Well, the nice folks at the Windows Mobile blog put together an (really, really simple yet complex) explaination of what goes into addressing features within their Windows Mobile operating system. Here is a snippet:

...When we start a project, the first thing we have to decide is what features we’re going to do. Like I said, this usually of the form “of these 1000 great features, which 100 can we reasonably get done in time?” Having so many users, each with their own passionate opinions on what’s important, many of them conflicting, makes this a tough choice. Even if we only had a million users (we’ve got many more than that), if we chose something that 99% of them wanted instead of something that 1% wanted, we’d still annoy 10,000 people. Remember this when you say, “All of my friends want this too.” Even if you personally know ten thousand people and they all agree with you, that’s still a tiny percentage of the user base....

Read the rest, and please be paitent with developers and service providers, they really do have a tough job in making things work not just for you, but everyone else who wants what you want too.

In a recent article at ChurchTechMatters, the subject of browsers and wireless security was brought up. Here is a snippet:

...Be pro-active when using any public wi-fi network, I did alot in my hotel room last week on their public, unsecured wireless network. The same rules apply. Many churches have unsecure wi-fi that anyone can use, these same rules apply. If you don’t use Firefox, I would recommend doing that, at the minimum, even for being on the internet at home...

When it comes to wireless security, there are two things to look at: the device and how you are connecting. For the most part, if you are connecting via cellular, you are usually under a pretty secure connection. However that is not always the case that your info is completly safe. Many wireless providers do log your data and where you go, and so there is some measure of openness there. If you are using wifi, the best and most secure thing is to always connect in places where you can use a secure connection. And od take advantage of cache cleaners if they are available for your mobile browser. No need in losing your device and someone coming back to pick up your browsing where you left it off.

While I am awake still, I saw this article at MSNBC which raised a neat question about text messaging being a veichle for politics in upcoming US elections.

My question is if text messaging can be effective in politics, why cannot the church enhance the bulletin boards/announcement sections of service with text/email blasts?

I am not too long from getting off the phone with MMM team member Jay Noggle and something during our phone call struck me as both a hurdle and a stepping stone for MMM, and mobile technology as a whole. Acoording to some, there are two types of mobile tech users: those that use it as a lifestyle device (usually smaller devices, on the cutting edge with technology, and somewhat fashionable) and those that use it as an informational tool (usually larger devices that combine several facets of functionality, and not usually fashionable, but have a stigma of being "work first, play later" devices). And while it is that MMM stands at the crossroads of those two paradigms, something that I realized is that for ministry to take place with mobile tech, the push has to be to make it noticable as a lifestyle device, while expanding on its accessiblity and usabilty as an informational one (a similar mindset in this article, but for differnet reasons).

Another thought that passes today:
We very much in the US underestimate the power and ability of mobile devices to be lifestyle devices, and are far too fearful of using them as informational ones in order to better connect and develop our communities. Part of that comes from a profit mindset, where things that we do have to first be for profit before they be for betterment. I very much understand the ideals of wanting to make a few dimes, but see that the constant refinement of an art in the long term leaves a better legacy than a dent of finances ever does. A music artist made the statement about Jesus, "now whose name has been made into a figure of speech..." Tis a very powerful statement about the effectiveness of a message and a Person who over time continues to refine our lives, versus the rich men of Jesus's day who most probably have done little to infulence where our lives are.

The "So What" Moment:
And so I do have these thoughts, and for the most part I tend to have them all the time, but what do they mean and does it really matter? Yes and yes. Yes, it is possible to use mobile tech as both an informational and lifestyle device, but in some cases the infrastructure has to be remade,or enhanced to support it (like here). And then there needs to be a grasp of those essential principles of what things really matter (simple and necessary things so to speak) and how mobile tech can make it easier or smarter/cheaper to get those needs met. I tend to look at the initiatiives like CoosBay TV and P4HHH and think that there is something going on here that is bigger than just a Bible on a PDA, but that needs the stepping stone of a Bible on a PDA before getting any further. I wonder about mobile tech, and then think as well, that it just might be the last big push that we can do to share the Gospel before time is up.

I believe that the Bible was very much on point when it says that we are created in the image and likeness of God. But sometimes, we tend to get tired and lose sight of the marvelous creations that He has made us to be. When I talked to Jay this evening, he spoke with a passion of not so much the mobile tech, but sharing the energy and passion for using it to help people that is very much missing in many of the articles and websites out here that promote using mobile tech. I know that we can use it, but tech is only relevant if it is personal, and only effective when it brings God glory.

This has been a multi-faced day for me. On the one hand, I have been utterly excited with the numberous new smarpthone announcements (this one, this one, this one, and this one too). Not so much that any of them I want, but for the fact that manufacturers are seeing that many people want a converged device, and want one at various price points and with various features. Sure, not everything is perfect, but there is a slew of devices out there for those who are looking.

But with devices available, there has to mean that there are some services out there that take advantage of mobile devices, and a more mobile-centric lifestyle. I am sorry to say that we are not there just yet (getting close though - see here and here). But, there is a push on the side of many content providers to make sure that mobile devices are accounted for when creating a product. On the ministry side, if you are developing anything that will touch the Internet, to have mobile devices in mind when you are beginning production, and even in execution, is a key way to keep in the loop many people who will want your services or information in alternate means.

I do not say all of this to mean that mobile Intenret and mobile connectivity is everything. It very well is not. It is just a window, or a door, into the hearts and lives of people where we did not have that before so easily. So whether it is as simple as downloading a MP3 to hear a sermon, or using GPS to track your way to a culture that has never been heard from before, we know that there is a time and a place for mobile tech.

With MMM, we wanna help you stretch that place, and if you can bring Christ into the lives of others when using mobile tech, then we can leave this website/magazine at the end of the day and thank God for another life in His hands. After all, it may be mobile tech, but the mission is to teach, reach, and make disciples.

One of the more recent happenings that I have noticed here in the US has been a opening up to mobile data devices and data services in order to keep connected when away from the office. While it is that many people cannot stand to get email anywhere and anytime, the ability to have an updated calendar, or access to information has become a necessary function of working in some aspects of business and ministry.

An article at Newsfactor Magazine talked about how small/medium business are taking a closer look at mobile devices for empowering their workforce. Many ministries also fall under that small to medium business umbrella and have similar concerns. For example, in the church I am a member of, the pastorial staff is all looking at, or already has, a smartphone and wants to plug it into chruch related email and calendaring aspects. This is a reality for many ministires and one that all who are looking should consider.

However, in considering mobile technology, one has to also consider training, administration, security, and what device(s) will work best for their enterprise/ministry.

Does your ministry/organization have the ability to create and maintain a mobile infrastructure (if it would be profitable to use)? And if not, what resources would you need that would make it easier for your ministry/organization to deply and best use mobile technology?

Greetings all;
Back from some time off and still there is a lot of work to do. Nonetheless, you can bet that I have a bit more refreshed purpose in working with MMM, and in general just taking things into the place they should be.

First off, I'd like to publically apologize for Issue 4 not coming out yet. That has totally been on me and between life issues and flat out being lazy, I have not stepped up there. If there is any who can help with getting the issues out on a quarterly basis (content, design, etc.), that would be great.

The forums are officially gone. One, too much spam, and two, not enough contributions. The Blogger comments are back on, and all ya have to do is post in there. These are moderated too, but a lot more accessible whether you are using a mobile device or not to read MMM.

Speaking of mobile devices, I'd like to know if there is a web developer out there who can lend some time and expertise to redesigning MMM's website and possibly making some dynamic underpinnings to the site/magazine. I am not very skilled in developing CMS driven sites, but this is one where a light-weight CMS would be needed as well as a design that is much more mobile friendly. If you are interested, or just have ideas as to what needs to change, do let us know.

Content is great, but we also want to teach. Something that the team has brought to my attention on several occasions is that there are no resources here. So, either via wiki, or some other means we will have to get some resources together to help you better use mobile tech. So keep us accountable to that one, and we will do so.

And as usual, if you have a PDA, laptop, or accessory item that is not being used, we have a few organizations in queue who have requested PDAs. If you would like to donate to MMM (shipping is on us in most cases), do let us know what you have and we can get it in the hands of those that will not only use them, but change lives becasue they have these and other tools.

So yea, those are a few things. Don't let us stop now, MMM needs to do better, and I am committed to making sure that the Body knows that IT is a viable area of ministry, and even more viable place where the light of Christ can be displayed for the world audience. If you believe and think so too, walk with us and let's do something just a lil bit different :)

eBible.com has finally finished its beta testing phase and is now available to the public. This site combines features of Web 2.0, tagging, and intuitive Bible study to help you study the Word in an easy to use manner.

Sign up for an account and check it out! This is definitely a great alternative to Gospelcom's BibleGateway.

Since Antoine is taking a break, I thought that the least I could do is to get a new post in. But then I thought, "posting for the sake of posting isn't saying anything". The slogan of my media creation company is, "Media that Says Something!" It is the same thing here.
Then it hit me, "what about this podcasting idea?" Antione has asked me, actually, I brought it up... Anyway, we talked about a podcast. As a Video Producer, I mentioned the idea of incorporating both audio and video to the cast. But the issue is still the content; what do we want to say? What do we need to say? And here is where YOU come in, What do YOU want to see and hear? (Assuming that we already know that God wants us to tackle this subject as it is on our hearts).
My point on this is simple, connecting with God is called Worship. Connecting with man is called Fellowship. How through podcasting can we meet your needs in mobile tech ministry?

Send us your feedback!!!!!

Jay

Hello all;
I hope that all of you are having a good weekend. I am having a somewhat restful one, albeit one where life has most definitely changed in some respects. Not a bad change, but noticable. A few things on the queue that I want to keep you up on.