Ways To Use Myspace In Ministry

Using video is not the only technology we utilize in ministry. I am a big believer in redeeming technology and utilizing it for discipleship, evangelism, spreading information and just about any other creative thing you can think up.

There has been a lot of heat about myspace in the church over the years. Should you use it, should you not? Look at the content that is on there, we need to stay away.

The reality is that we need to not run away from these forms of media and technology but redeem them. We don't need a freakin' Godspace that we can form our little God clicks. We need to be all over the current ones.

Some of the ways we have used myspace are:

• Created a ministry myspace page. From there we embed our youtube videos and graphics about who we are so teens can easily link there.
• From my personal myspace page we post comments every Monday in our teens myspace pages inviting them to come out so their friends can see what we are about. We will post our promo videos and graphics. These become little advertisements that friends of our teens can see.
• Post bulletins for upcoming events.
• Leave encouraging notes for our teens.
• Keep up with our leaders through the instant messaging feature.

The major reality is that not all of our teens have a myspace but more than half do. They had it before they came to Elevate so we have embraced it and are using it to reach out. Is there some junk in it...sure...but we can't escape all the junk in the world. But we can be a light in the darkness.

virb.com/jaycurlee

For about three months I have been letting this just set there. Did I really need another one? But then I find out some of my peeps have gotten in on it. Peep 1...Peep 2...

So what's a brother to do. Well I guess update it a little and add some friends. Now that I know some others are out there on it, I'm going to give it a test spin.

At least it doesn't have the junk that myspace has.

So if there are any other peeps out there with one...go ahead...VIRB me

Ways To Use Video In Ministry

One of the things I decided on this past year was that I was not going to let money (or lack thereof) stand in the way of using technology in ministry.

One key principle we do ministry by is using technology to enhance ministry. And I mean enhance. Technology is just a tool and should never replace but should enhance your ministry time.

Several ways we use video in our meetings are:

• Video clips from movies that introduce concepts or aha moments.
• Video promos for series.
• Video Announcements.
• Countdown Videos for the night.
• Monthly Ministry Promo video's
• Creative video's for meetings.

When I started, I didn't have a fancy camera with fancy editing software. (Of course I still don't have that either.) But again, I did not let that get in the way. Our videos have gotten everything from laughs to tears and all in between. They are ways to bring creativity into your ministry and meetings.

You can check out many of the videos we have used in our meetings at my Youtube site.

The Core of Making Difference Makers

Here is what Making Difference Makers is all about:

1. Influencing and developing others to make a difference in their world.
2. Inspiring creativity and change in church to become more relevant to our world around us.
3. Informative inside look into our ministry.
4. Imparting resources to ministry leaders.

This is what I believe this blog is going to focus on, while I may stray out every now and then it is going to be the core of what we are about.

Dominate-cast Episode 27

Dominate-cast...Podcast #27 for Elevate...Here we go...Jason Curlee, Juno Garcia, Shelly Stokes, Andrea Stokes and Rachel Cullers talk about the night.

This weeks message on the Podcast begins a new series called THE D FACTOR - "Where Decisions Determine Your Destiny" and the message is by Jason Curlee called "Decisions Dominate" in which our big idea is how we must weigh the consequences as our decisions determine our destiny.

Also included is a powerful nugget time by Juno Garcia about not looking in the rear view mirror.

-->> Download the MP3 directly here <<--

-->> Listen online here <<--

Impact The Community

There are a few pastors out there that touch on something that relates so much to me. Perry Noble has been writing a series of post called "I Dream Of A Church". Here is part 1. Here is part 2.

Their church called Newspring is blowing the roof off in Anderson, South Carolina. Where again is that???

Here is an excerpt:

#4 - That Impacts The Community!

I want to see this community turned upside down for Christ! Someone once asked me how much money we give to missions…my reply was, “every single dime that comes into NewSpring is spent on missions. Anderson, SC is our mission…and we will eventually begin to see serious impact across the world–but not until we have IMPACTED our community.”

Don’t get me wrong–I am concerned about the kids who are starving in the world–but what about the kids that are starving here in Anderson? I am concerned about the sick and the homeless…but I feel that our church would by hypocritical if we sent a check off to some organization and patted ourselves on the back for it…but did nothing about it right here in our own backyard.

People have asked me, “When is NewSpring going to start a school.” My response is always the same, “On the day hell freezes over–we will start a Christian school.” WAIT…I am NOT speaking against Christian schools…I am saying our vision is not isolation but rather reach children, teach them to be salt and light…and reach so many of them that our public schools become Christian schools! THAT is how you impact a community.

If you are a pastor and God has given you a vision to begin a school…GO FOR IT! You have to be true to the vision God has given you. He wants each church to impact the community it is in…and that will be done in different ways. Our way right now is to provide a place that has environments where people can meet Christ and be embraced in community. We feel that is happening…but we are about to launch some things that will BLOW THE ROOF OFF THIS PLACE…AND…we are getting ready for some regional and global things that are going to be AWESOME as well!!!

The D Factor Episode 1

Here is our creative element for this months series. Our series is called THE D FACTOR - "Where Decisions Determine Your Destiny". So what did we do? We created our own Fear Factor show called "The D Factor".

Here is episode 1 and each week I will post each episode here after it premiers in our meeting. Of course you could subscribe to my youtube site and who knows maybe catch it early.



P.S. It gets funnier with each episode.

The Blitz 5-2-07

Tonight we unveiled...VIDEO ANNOUNCEMENTS...Something new at Elevate is a new segment we are calling "The Blitz".

It got major laughs. And for our first go at it...I thought it went well. Of course it is all our team. They are awesome.

Enjoy.


"The Blitz 5-2-07"

The Quiet Comeback

I know, I know...two days...and it has been a quiet comeback. Well I never said it was going to be big...BUT...I've been busy. Next few posts will be to give a little bit of a flavor of what we are doing this month. And then...I'm going to get after it a little and tell ya what we are going to be all about here.

Back In Action

This will be a quickie everyone.

I'm back from my siesta...that means nap to you non-bilingual folks out there.

Although I'm 1 hour and 30 minutes late...it is 1:30 am 5-2-07...I'm here baby.

I know, I know...I said I would be back on the 1st...well...didn't happen. Look for a post coming very soon on why's and the what not's of this blog as I get it back on the track for the future.