The Best of ‘SOCIAL MEDIA and MINISTRY NEWS’ – SUMMER 2013 EDITION

Can you believe it? It’s Labor Day Weekend 2013 already! Where have all the sun-drenched days of summer gone? The  autumn leaves of red and gold will soon be swirling in the air. To mark the occasion, we have assembled a special souvenir of the awesome Summer of 2013 that we hope will bless you, and remind you of those much-too-soon-departed, wonderful days of summer!

It has been an especially rich and exciting summer at our companion publication, SOCIAL MEDIA and MINISTRY NEWS.  For each of the past 90 days, SOCIAL MEDIA and MINISTRY NEWS has offered its readers the best church social media news this summer, packed with information, videos, and photos of the latest, most-talked-about and interesting developments in the faith, social media, and technology space. (Click on the Archives icon to check out previous issues!)

Faith Based Media 2.0 is a faith-based journal of information, innovation, and inspiration. It is designed to creatively share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through social media and web 2.0 technologies. We’re always so excited to share the most exciting things happening over at SOCIAL MEDIA and MINISTRY NEWS with our loyal readers.

So, we’ve teamed-up and pulled together this summer’s top inspirational stories, chats, podcasts, and thought-provoking opinion pieces from the June, July, and August 2013 editions of SOCIAL MEDIA and MINISTRY NEWS.

As we say goodbye to the halcyon days of summer and eagerly anticipate Autumn 2013, we’re happy to present this unique, special edition of the VERY BEST of ‘SOCIAL MEDIA and MINISTRY NEWS – SUMMER 2013 EDITION’. Enjoy!

• 5 NFL Stars Turned Pastor or Christian Minister – Christian Post
• 7 Facebook Tips for Pastors – Pastors.com
• 7 Innovative Church Buildings in America  – Church Relevance
•  8 Leadership Lessons From Martin Luther King, Jr. [Podcast] – Michael Hyatt
• 10 Google Services You Didn’t Know Existed and How They Help Church Leaders – UnSeminary
• 35 Social Media Questions for Every Church – ChurchMag
• Are You Putting Technology Ahead of Your Church’s Message – Internet Toolbox for Church/ Dave Hakes
• Behind the Scenes at Christianity Today – Christianity Today
• Church: Social Media Chat: 8/13/13: Myths & Truths About Church Social Media [TwitterChat] – #ChSocM Meredith Gould
• Churches Play Catch-up as Social Media Continues to Grow – Facts and Trends/ Aaron Earls
• Complete List of Churches on Pinterest – Godvertiser.com Kenny Jahng
• Free eBook: ‘Sanctification in the Everyday’ by John Piper – ChurchLeaders.com
• Free eBook: ‘YouTube for Churches Quick Guide’ from ChurchTech Today – ChurchLeaders.com
• How Are Apps Making Prayer Social – Leadership Network/ DJ Chuang
• King’s Dream: Waiting with Perseverance – WP On Faith/ T. D. Jakes
• Mega-Mind of Bishop T. D. Jakes – Patrick D. Shaffer
• More Than 2 Million Will Participate in Back to Church Sunday – ChurchLeaders.com
• Most Anticipated Tech: End of Summer Edition – CNET
• New Bible App Updates, Another Huge Milestone, and More – YouVersion
• Preaching/ Speaking from an iPad? 10 Rules – Patheos
• Summer Boone of Church by the Glades – Episode 51 [Podcast] – DJ Chuang
• What Story Is Your Church Telling? – Mark Brooks

What church social media blog posts, podcasts, or articles were you excited about this summer? Please share them here with our readers and become a part of this, our special, SUMMER 2013 EDITION. Btw, to get your day started right with an on-time word of inspiration and encouragement, be sure to check out FAITH and DEVOTION DAILY.  Much Love & Appreciation!

Until next time, remember, you can do all things thru Christ Jesus!

Be Blessed,

Kenneth Lillard

Best of Technology and the Web 2011

It’s already that time of the year for the Faith Based Media 2.0 annual roundup of what’s hot and what’s not in technology and on the web for 2011! It seems that every time you blink your eyes new innovations appear in the ever evolving world of technology and social media. The challenge is how the people of faith can creatively adapt these new technologies to more effectively share the Gospel in our Digital Age!

The winds of change have blown through the digital world in 2011 leaving a radically changed landscape in its wake. The links below help tell the story of some of the major technological players, innovations, and ideas that affected the web in 2011, primarily from a faith perspective. We’d love to get your take on this year’s picks! 

5 Major Twitter Changes Coming to a Computer Screen Near You – BlogWorld

10 Apps You Should Download for iPad2 – Wired

10 Biggest Web News Stories of 2011 – ReadWriteWeb

2011 Christianity Today Book Awards – Christianity Today

2012 Web Predictions – ReadWriteWeb

Best and Worst of Everything in 2011: A Meta, Mega Mashup – Fast Company

Best Big Internet Company of 2011 – ReadWtiteWeb

Best Christian Blog of the Week – Blogspot

Book Interactions in 2011 – Ed Stetzer

Church App – Subsplash

f8 2011 Facebook Changes Full Guide – SlashGear

Faith Based Media 2.0 – Faith, Technology, and Social Media Blog ~Kenneth Lillard

Joel Osteen Ministries

John Maxwell On Leadership – Blog of Leadership Expert, John Maxwell

LinkedIn Changes Social Ads – Mashable

My Favorite Technologies of 2011 – Dan Zax,  MIT Technology Review

Potter’s House – Bishop T. D. Jakes

So You Got a Kindle Fire? Try Our First-Timer Guide – Mashable

Streaming Faith – Online Christian Broadcasting Portal

State of the Blogosphere 2011 – Technorati

Top 5 Internet Devices of 2011 – ReadWriteWeb

Top 10 Christian Blogs – blogs.com

Top 10 Enterprise Cloud Apps and Services 0f 2011 – ReadWrite Web

Top 10 Gadgets You Should Have In Your Go Bag – Lifehacker

Top 10 Posts of November 2011 – Tony Morgan Live

Top 10 Social Web Products of 2011 – ReadWriteWeb

Top 10 Startups of 2011 – ReadWriteWeb

Top 10 Tech Concepts You Always Wanted to Learn About – Lifehacker

Top 10 Web Products of 2011 – ReadWriteWeb

Top 11 Features of 2011 – ChurchLeaders.com

Top 200 Church Blogs – Churchrelevance.com

Top Trends of 2011: Content Shifting – ReadWriteWeb

World Vision – A Christian Humanitarian Organization

WOW Gospel 2011 – iTunes

YouVersion – Online Bible, reading plans, and community

Which of the above would make your list? How have they impacted you and/or your ministry in 2011? How might they increase your influence in 2012?

To all of my wonderful FBM 2.0 readers, “Wishing you a Happy, Blessed, and Prosperous 2012!”

Until next time, remember, you can do all things through Christ Jesus!

Stay Blessed!

Kenneth Lillard

Book Bonus: On Writing SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY, 2

The book, SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY Sharing The Gospel In The Digital Age, grew out of the ideas, posts, and insights harvested on this blog, Faith Based Media 2.0.  The book is like songs collected into an album with additional compositions added to tie all the songs together!

When I began the book project, little did I realize it would end up on iTunes and in the pages of the New York Times! LOL! The LORD knows exactly how to work everything out in such a way that it just blows your mind!

There are things we are specifically called to do. And when we are given these special assignments, we immediately know, beyond the slightest shadow of a doubt that “no” is not an option! So it was with writing SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY. This  special assignment came unambiguously, crystal clear!

But then, those Moses moments arrive: “LORD, who am I, that I should write? And since I can’t write like Shakespeare,  or even James Patterson, what will I say? And who will listen?”

Now, you know the LORD has already told you He would be with you; that He would provide you with the words and the readers. So, stop already, with the excuses! “Do it. Just write!” 

You realize, ultimately, that it’s not about you, anyway! It’s all about Him! The work is to His glory! Obedience is better than sacrifice.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY was designed as a short format work to mirror the short format form of most social media communications. Brief. Concise. And to the point! All extraneous material was excised.  

After much work, sweat, and prayer, miraculously, the book was completed! Praise Our God!  

And after you finish your special assignment, you exhale, thank the LORD, and then move on to your next assignment!

What special assignment(s) are you working on?

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY is available at Amazon.com, and also on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iBooks, and on your computer with iTunes!

Until next time, remember, you can do all things through Christ Jesus!

Stay Blessed!

Kenneth Lillard

Ministry And The New Media

The new media today are all online. And they are all social! Google+, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Foursquare, blogs, and podcasts are all part of today’s communications revolution known as social media!

The millions of people on these social networks have one thing in common – they’re all connected to others on the Internet. And increasing numbers are connecting through mobile devices like smart phones and iPads. Facebook alone has over 700 million users making it larger than most nations in world today!

The new media allow us to connect with online communities in entirely new and exciting ways! They empower individuals to not only engage with others through Web 2.0 technologies, but also enable them to create and share original content.  This has vast implications, especially for ministry!

Social media provide those in ministry with a whole new set of tools with which to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in creative, unprecedented ways!  Here are a few examples of how to get social with the new media:

• Write a blog to connect with others and share your message – You’re reading my blog now, Faith Based Media 2.o, all about faith, social media, and technology!  
• Create a personal website to define your online identity – For example, mine is Kennethlillard.com. It can be your online homebase. Connect it with all your other online presences.
• Build an online community, or join a social network like FB or Twitter to engage and share the Gospel, encourage others, share scriptures, fellowship, collaborate, and organize. I’m on FB, LinkedIn, and Google+ at Kenneth Lillard, and Twitter @revkenlillard.  
• Establish a church website – Expand the reach of your church’s ministry beyond the four walls of the building. Let your website be a virtual door into your church. Connect with others in your local community and around the world! 
• Serve others online – For example, on your mobile phone you can text FOOD to UNICEF to donate $10 to feed starving children in the Horn of Africa.
•  Use social media platforms as  interactive digital channels to share your ministry’s vision and message. Create an interesting mix of  text, photos, audio, and video to increase impact.
• Curate helpful and interesting posts, articles, and links and share them with your network.
• Use new media to tighten your network’s internal communications, and keep it informed. 
• Answer questions and solve problems through polls, crowdsourcing, and surveys.

In our 24/7, digitally connected world, I’m excited about the great potential for ministry to use social media to help increase influence for Christ in the world! 

How is your ministry using social media to share the Gospel!  

Until next time, remember, you can do all things through Christ Jesus!

Stay Blessed!

Kenneth Lillard

Book Bonus: On Writing SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalm 37:4

What a blessing it is to be allowed to walk in your purpose! I thank the Good LORD for blessing me to be able to do just that with the publication of my recent book SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY Sharing the Gospel In The Digital Age (available at Amazon.com).

For someone who loves writing and sharing the gospel, the book has been a dream project. In fact, it is has been no less than a “dream come true”!

The idea for the book developed while writing this very blog, Faith Based Media, 2.0 (FBM 2.0), an exploration of ministry, social media, and technology. The book can actually be viewed as an extension of FBM 2.0 and vice versa!

Social media burst on the scene in 2004 with the rise of Facebook in Silicon Valley, CA. It accelerated in 2005 with the advent of YouTube, followed by Twitter in 2006. While observing these developments, it became increasingly clear that this new media revolution had great potential for sharing the Gospel of  Jesus Christ, not only locally, but globally, as well! So, FBM 2.0 was established to begin a conversation around how to harness digital technology for helping to build the Kingdom.

The process of writing SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY was equal parts research, writing, and editing, also known to many writers as “blood, sweat, and tears.” It involved many nights of burning the midnight oil, and pulling more than a few all nighters, especially as the publication deadline neared! In addition, it included much prayer! Yet, I have to admit it was a labor of love. Why? I was finally doing something I was born to do!

For six months, a laptop and notepad were kept handy at the side of my bed to capture thoughts and ideas that seemed to prefer to wander in either just before going to sleep at night, or on waking up first thing in the morning!

Then something kind of amazing happened. It was just as I was completing this book  featuring “social networking”, that Columbia Pictures released the hit motion picture, The Social Network. You’ve got to be kidding me!

My book was published in November 2010, while the movie was being viewed by millions in theatres across the nation and around the world. The Social Network would go on to win a number of Golden Globe and Academy Awards for 2010! Was this just a coincidence? It felt more like a   confirmation of my work over the past twelve months!

I thank God for the inspiration to pen SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY Sharing The Gospel In The Digital Age, and for all the incredible people who have encouraged me along the way. Without your prayers and support this book would not have been possible! You are the very best!  But, ultimately, all credit goes to God for the Great Things He has done!

SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY is available on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iBooks, and on your computer with iTunes! It is also available as an e-book for immediate download (pdf format) at Lulu.com. Look for future installments of “Book Bonus” in upcoming posts on this blog!

Until next time, remember, you can do all things thru Christ Jesus!

Stay Blessed!

Kenneth Lillard

Chasing The Very Best

Happy New Year! Faith Based Media 2.0 welcomes 2011 with a great deal of anticipation and expectation for a truly exciting and blessed year!

But before keying in on 2011, let’s pause for a moment to take a look back at some of the best of 2010 in ministry, social media, and technology.

I thank God for blessing me to publish my new book SOCIAL MEDIA AND MINISTRY Sharing The Gospel In The Digital Age (available at www.Lulu.com) in 2010! It is a practical guide, a how-to-manual to social media. An innovative handbook for pastors, church leaders, and others, it provides strategies and tactics for using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to help fulfill the Great Commission of sharing the Gospel with every nation! I pray it will be a blessing to you and your ministry!

The following were 10 (ten) of the most popular church blogs of 2010 ( many of which you can follow on Twitter):

• Desiring God
• Between Two Worlds 
• Michael Hyatt
• GetReligion
• Tim Challies
• Stuff Christians Like
• Dr. Albert Mohler
• Internet Monk
• Pyromaniacs
• DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed

To this list I would definitely add Bishop’s Blog written by T.D. Jakes, and Going Beyond by Priscilla Shirer!

 The Center for Church Communications has compiled an outstanding Church Marketing Directory to help churches creatively communicate their message. In addition, it has compiled a Church Excellence list called Firestarters which identifies, in its opinion, some of the most cutting edge, creative, passionately communicated ministries on the scene today. To this list I would add The Potter’s House! 

Looking forward to bringing you the very best in ministry, social media and technology in 2011!

What were some of your ministry highlights of 2010?

Until next time, remember, you can do all things thru Christ Jesus!

Be Blessed!

Kenneth Lillard   

What’s New – The iPhone 4

On Monday, June 7, 2010, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the new iPhone 4 at Apple’s Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA. http://www.apple.com/

 The iPhone 4’s most remarkable feature is “Face Time” which allows video calling between iPhone 4 users! It’s new, sleek design makes the iPhone 4 the thinnest smart phone ever. Like its newest competitor, HTC’s Evo 4G, and other smart mobile phones, the iPhone 4 is a great ministry tool because it:

• allows connectivity to the Internet
• enables instantaneous mobile communications
• allows access to many church apps, and to personal productivity tools
• places the Bible (in multiple translations and languages) right at your fingertips (see http://www.YouVersion.com)
• enables access to and sharing of text, photos, blogs, videos, podcasts, sermons, music, etc.
• allows tighter communications with small groups, colleagues, and family
• supports connecting on social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

See Wired’s Priya Ganapati’s iPhone 4 review in “Showdown: iPhone 4 vs. HTC Evo 4G” http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/iphone-4-vs-htc-evo-4g/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wired%2Findex+%28Wired%3A+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2%29%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Definitely, the iPhone 4 is an incredible Faith Based Media 2.0 tool for sharing the Gospel!

Until next time, remember, you can do all things thru Christ Jesus!

God Bless,

Kenneth Lillard