March 2008

The March issue of Christian Computing Magazine just came out.   Good reminder for me that both CCMag, as well as it's sister publication Christian Audio/Visual, are great resources for those of us who enjoy whole publications dedicated to our favorite topic - the use of technology by the Church. 

Christian Computing Magazine, published since 1989, is now available exclusively through digital distribution.  I get it via monthly email so all of the articles are provided in PDF format and are ready to read online or print out for hard copy archiving.  The articles cover everything from ChMS evaluations to social bookmarking services, from podcasting to congregational messaging systems.

Most importantly, the magazines are FREE thanks to many sponsors including:

ACS Technologies, Shelby Systems, Arena, Advanced Ministry, WordSearch Media, Connection Power.com, LOGOS Management Software, Fellowship  Technologies, Icon Systems, Power Church Software, Sermon Companion.com, Church Community Builder, PhoneTree, NuVerb, RDS Advantage, ParishSOFT,  Vian Corporation, MyFlock.com, Covenant Eyes, Power Notebooks.com

This entry has been cross-posted at Digital.

Here's an email offer I got last week (sorry for the delay - I'm still not finished with the new theme) that I want to forward on to readers who are interested in both receiving & blogging some good books.   It's from Mike Morrell for those of you who know him…..

"We're Looking For A Few Good Bloggers!"

The Ooze, the Web's most prolific 'emerging church & friends' website, is looking for 50 participants in a unique partnership with quality publishers. You will be mailed books for blog review on an every-other-month to quarterly basis, free of charge.  These are books on culture, theology, church history, justice, faith & science, global issues, spirituality, novels - you name it.  The Ooze pre-screens each title brought up for our consideration to ensure you that it is a book of singular distinction.

Interested?  Well, if you're an off-the-beaten-path, thoughtful blogger (you don't have to identify yourself with 'emerging church' conversation per se, though it's certainly fine if you do) who enjoys blogging about the above-mentioned topics, and you have a Technorati authority of 50 or higher, you're an ideal candidate.  Just send your name, blog URL, authority ranking, and snail-mail address by March 25 to zoecarnate [at] theooze.com.  (Please do not leave this info in the Comments section of this post.)  Then I'll send you a more detailed email as to what this entails and we can go from there.  Feel free to post this invitation on your own blog as well.

Thanks for your interest!

Mike Morrell

PS: This partnership is primarily intended for bloggers in the US and Canada - alas.  But if you're elsewhere and you have a readership that will make Mike just pass out upon witnessing it, let him know and they will consider you… just ask TSK (Andrew Jones).

I'm happy to post this email for Mike.  I only regret my delay (although I'm sure it's not too late to get in on this offer) as he's always been ultra-gracious in mailing me provocative books that I could never afford to add to my library any other way.  Last month, for example, it was Becky Garrison's Rising from the Ashes and a beautiful hardback copy of N. T. Wright's Surprised by Hope.  Thank you, Mike.  May your bloggers emerge.

I'm using this list of the "Best Christian Blogs on Web Evangelism" from Gospel Com to try out the look of this new blog theme.  Tables can be problematic but at least while I tweak, you can enjoy link love.

As you can see, I've decided to give The Digital Sanctuary a new look - AND a new domain name.  More on that later.

It's been long overdue, and the site still needs some tweaks, but if you'll bear with me it should be worth the wait.

The 2008 Group Life Conference (October 16 - 18, 2008) on the Willow Creek campus in South Barrington, IL is already coming together even though it's not until October.  Washington, D. C. National Community Church pastor, Mark Batterson, will be speaking.  Mark, who is a 5th-year blogging vet, was actually the first pastor whose blog I read regularly and whose blogroll linked here.  (Thank you David Russell.)

This is the 10th Annual Group Life Conference and this year's theme "Essentials for the Human Heart" underscores the concept that community is as necessary as air and water to the health of the body…for individuals as well as for the Body of Christ.

Dave Treat, Director of Ministry Development for the Group Life Team, who manages a speaker list that includes about 75 breakout sessions, contacted me and invited me to speak at a session designed to motivate church leadership to use technology for empowering their small groups.  

Dave also manages the Willow Creek Community blog.  And since the Willow Creek Association is comprised of approximately 12,000 churches, it's not like they're just sitting around over there.  Dave will give me more information as the event evolves and I'll pass it on to you.

 It's not too early to register!  Click here for more…  And if you'll be there, I'd love to meet you.

In case you've been hearing the term SXSW and still don't know what everybody's always talking about, this is a great time to check out the wrap-ups as another year draws to a close.  SXSWeek is the nine-day sensory overload that occurs in Austin, Texas every March.

The fun begins on Friday, March 7, which is the first day of the SXSW Interactive Festival and the SXSW Film Conference and Festival.  The SXSW Film Conference and the SXSW Interactive Festival run through Tuesday, March 11, and screenings for the SXSW Film Conference run through Saturday, March 15.  The world-famous SXSW Music Conference and Festival begins Wednesday, March 12 and runs through Sunday, March 16.  Established in 1987, the SXSW Music Conference and Festival is one of the world's largest music industry gatherings, featuring more than 1300 bands from across the nation and around the globe. 

In recent years the internet crowd has begun to populate the event and lately, it seems like emerging technology is taking a front seat more often.    You can quench your thirst for all things SXSW Interactive by checking out the SXSW Podcast Page, which contains tons and tons of FREE audio content.  Then make sure you are subscribed to their SXSW Podcast RSS Feed.

If you want some personal impressions from a technology leader with a Christian worldview, you can check out Terry Storch - he's been blogging snippets for days.

As distance learning increases in both availability and popularity, there will be more and more online web-based options available for ministry training and equipping. 

Example: I just got an email from City Vision College which is the Internet-based distance education program of TechMission.  Its mission is to prepare men and women for successful careers with rescue missions and other ministries, particularly those working in the inner city.

Students may enroll year round in the college's certificate or degree program, the latter of which leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Missions with an urban ministry emphasis.  Have high-speed internet access?  Get equipped.

What was I thinking? 

Last week at The Digital Sanctuary, I posted a list of Media / Tech related conferences that are happening around the US in 2008.  It's not a complete list.   I just highlighted some of the more well-known (usually annual) conferences that happen throughout the year.  I also planned to follow-up post some Media / Tech related conferences that are specifically designed to support churches & ministries in their use of technology.

As I began to compile my list, it hit me - what am I doing?  I don't have time to compile an adequate list.  I should crowdsource this project. 

So, here's a first pass at a list of conferences I'm aware of.  If you know of a conference that fits the  Media / Technology / Church criteria, I'll add it to the list.  

• MinistryTECH  April 3 - 4, Oklahoma City, OK

• Technologies for Worship (NAB) April 13 - 17, Las Vegas, NV

• WFX  April 29 - May 1, Indianapolis, IN

• Biola Media Conference  May 3, Studio City, CA

• Dynamic Church Conference  May 15 - 17, Dallas, TX

• ICCM  June 6 - 10, Upland IN

• Church Media.net   June 24 - 27, Dallas, TX

• ICVM Catalyst Conference   July 8 - 11, Orlando, FL

• Echo  August 14 - 16, Dallas, TX

• MinistryCOM  Sept. 18 - 19, Oklahoma City, OK

• GodblogCon Sept. 20 - 21, Las Vegas, NV (website not updated)

• Internet Ministry Conference  October 20-23, Grand Rapids, MI

• Fusion '08  October 9 - 10, Dallas, TX