I share these treasures as I come across them on the Internet.
I hope you
find these useful in your ministry. When you're
through browsing, please pass this page along to a minister friend.
CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE
====================
Would you benefit by big saving on all purchases of Christian
products for the rest of your life? Of course you would! Who
could say no to that statement! Now, you can own your own
online Christian bookstore and save 40% or more on 20,000
Christian products. Save money on all your church supplies.
Put an end to constant funding pressure by creating residual
revenue through passive giving.
Every pastor's dream - a fully-stocked Christian bookstore...
without the hassle! Requires no physical space, no employees,
no inventory, no shipping - all bookstore management included.
Quick setup. Add and feature your own products. Think
of
the time and resources you could save!
Place a laptop on a small table in your church lobby and consider
it your portable booktable. People can log in by themselves or
with another person's assistance, order products and have them
shipped directly to their home.
To build a brick and mortar
bookstore, I'm told would cost you at
least $100 per square foot. Now you
can have your own online
bookstore for a one-time fee of $198, plus $9.95
monthly
maintenance fee.
Call for no-obligation
details from a fellow ministry person (no
sales person): (440) 282-1683 (Available in USA, Canada,
France, U.K., Australia and Ireland) write me.
swissvalleydiscount.com
CHRISTIAN HERITAGE
=========================
Focus
on the Family Heritage Builders Family Starter Kit 
This awesome tool helps the parents in your congregation
become intentional about passing on their faith to the next
generation. Follow the link to order a FREE Family Starter Kit
Click on "For Your Church" tab at top of page.
www.heritagebuilders.com/
CHRISTIAN LEGAL ASSISTANCE
==========================
Alliance Defense Fund
www.alliancedefensefund.org
EVENTS
=====================
David
Wilkerson conferences for ministers
Author of The
Cross and the Switchblade, founder of Teen Challenge
and founding pastor of Times Square Church, New York City. Follow
the link below for worldwide conference schedule:
www.davidwilkerson.org
Technology & Ministry
Sign up for the FREE weekly CCMag News Brief. This weekly e-mail
provides a short overview of news stories that Steve Hewitt comments
on during his weekly radio segment on PrimeTime America (Moody
Broadcasting). Keep informed on the latest happenings in technology
that is of interest to Christian computer users!
FACTS & DATA
============
"A word to the efficient:
Don't dial your local congregation;
they won't answer. Being unreachable by telephone is a
problem plaguing many of the nation's Protestant churches,
according to a new Barna Research Group study.
"Of 3,400 Protestant churches phoned nationwide during
December, a human being could not be reached at 55
percent, and 19 percent had neither a person nor a
machine to answer calls."
The surveyed churches were called 5 different times,
during business hours.
Read more here.
FINANCES
==============
Clark Howard - Renown Financial Advisor
This site's a gold mine! You cannot put a price tag on the advice
you'll receive here. You can even listen online, at your own
convenience. Many in ministry lack financial skills. Add this site
to your personal development goals:
www.clarkhoward.com
LEADERSHIP SKILLS
====================
Is Your Church Ready?
Motivating Leaders to Live an Apologetic Life
By Ravi Zacharias and Normal L. Geisler.
A case for the role of church leaders in motivating members to be
committed to a thoughtful apologetic defense of the Christian faith
that pervades the entire life of the church and impacts the home in
raising children who remain committed to Christ even when leaving
for college. Order here and save 26%.
READY TO QUIT?
==============
A Fire In My Bones by David Wilkerson - March 14th, 2004
Are you discouraged,
ready to throw up your hands and quit the
ministry?
Have your secretary hold all your calls. She can tell callers you’re
in a
conference. Trust me! You’ll be in a conference with the Lord before
you’re through with this one. Don’t allow anything to interrupt
you.
Listen
now | Print
and Read (Requires Windows Media Player.)
RECOMMENDED READING
=====================
Evangelism That Works by George Barna
A Must Read! George Barna shoots down several outreach
Traditions that we grew up with - under the heading of
abusive behavior! Better read this one!
According to his research 72% of non-churched adults would
dislike having to identify themselves as a visitor during service.
The same percentage disliked the idea of a small gift being
brought to their home as thank you for visiting - they saw it
more as an invasion of privacy, than a gift! Over 60% disliked
the idea of anyone coming to their home after they visited.
A good resource for churches wanting to do better at reaching
and attracting the unchurched.
Evangelism That Works by George Barna
RETREATS
================
Minister Retreats
SOFTWARE
================
Software
Deals for Nonprofits & Schools
Many ministries have had to put a freeze on spending
because of the current state of the economy. Here's a
gem of a place where you can find donated and
discounted technology products just for nonprofits and
schools.
For a small administrative
fee, nonprofits can order donated
and discounted software and essential technology products.
DiscounTech brings together generous contributions from
leading technology providers for the benefit of the nonprofit
sector. DiscounTech is a service of TechSoup, the
technology Web site for nonprofits.
TechSoup's DiscounTech aims to help resource-strapped
nonprofits save funds while furthering their organizational
missions. DiscounTech helps nonprofits:
* Increase capacity and
efficiency through proper use
of technology products.
* Substantially shorten
the time it would normally take
to obtain a corporate donation thanks to a web-based
request process and online fulfillment.
* Access multiple product
philanthropy programs
through a centralized online service. Over fifteen
technology provider's donated and discounted products
all in one place!
* Make informed decisions
about the products
nonprofits need thanks to TechSoup articles, resources,
and community boards.
* Free up funds for direct
service. This means more
beds can be purchased for homeless shelters, more
tutors can be hired for after school programs, and more
meals can be prepared in soup kitchens.
www.techsoup.org/DiscounTech
SPYWARE
PROTECTION
=========================
Ad-Aware:
Top Rated Software by C|NET Download.com
Ever wonder where all that spam comes from? Well, a hunk of
it comes from spyware.
What's spyware?
In general, spyware is any technology that aids in gathering
information about a person or organization without their
knowledge. On the Internet, spyware is programming that is
put in someone's computer to secretly gather information
about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested
parties. Spyware can get in a computer as a software virus
or as the result of installing a new program. Unfortunately,
this ugly monster can cause pornography to pop up on your
desktop, window after window. (Only available for
PCs.)
Download instructions
Here's how you can download it free from our web site.
Go to this address and click on the ComputerMall:
swissvalleymall.com/
You'll see the Ad-Aware link at the top of the ComputerMall
page. After following the instructions to install
Ad-Aware, be sure to use it regularly and update it periodically
for
new tracking definitions.
SUNDAY
SCHOOL HELPS
=====================
Excellent
Sunday School Guidelines & Helps
for
Teachers, Pastors, Administrators
Wow! Did I ever find a gold mine when I stumbled upon
this extremely helpful web site. You'll find how to start a
Sunday school ministry, ministry descriptions and
guidelines, policies, grouping guidelines, facility evaluation,
recruiting and retention tips, youth helps, legal advice for
churches - an unbelievable list of treasures!
sundayschool.ag.org
TECHNOLOGY
====================
Christian Computing Magazine
Offers a special digital version of their magazine for FREE.
It is sent
To you via e-mail in an HTML format. Also offers
FREE Christian
Audio/Visual Magazine.
Keeps readers informed on software, services and other
areas of
technology, pertaining to how it relates to the
Christian community,
the church and ministry.
Subscribe here:
ccmag.com
Free Technology Help
Look for articles by Terry Wilhite. You will find excellent,
down-to-earth help from this multimedia specialist who
has a real heart for ministry.
Technologies for Worship Archives
tfwm.com/Archives
TIPS
=========================
Communication Tips for the Time Starved!
ccmag.gospelcom.net/back%20issue/CCMagFeb04Digital.pdf (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)
How to Create a Postcard Newsletter
Life is overly full and highly stressful today. If people are
not reading and responding to what you try to communicate
to them from your church or ministry
today, it isn’t because
they have lost interest in church or hate God and have gone
apostate. Most often they are simply too busy. Here are
some ideas for reaching these busy people:
www.ideabook.com/nlcard.htm
TOOLS
====================
helloWorld
Video e-mail, broadcasting, blogging and much more. Starts at just $10 a month
- very reasonable.
Take
the helloWorld tour
Format
It - Online E-Mail Formatting Tool
The e-mail messages you send to your congregation could be
out of whack -- without your knowing it! Use this handy, online
utility to ensure your e-mail is formatted correctly. No downloads
required. FREE.
www.formatit.com/
Free Password Manager and One-Click Web Form Filler
Having trouble remembering passwords? This easy-to-use tool
will help you keep track of all your passwords and also help you
automatically fill out those online forms. It does NOT pop up ads
in your face or grab information from you. It's an innovative, lean,
useful product with some serious Artificial Intelligence. Highly
recommended by The Wall Street Journal and PC Magazine.
(Works on PCs only.) Enjoy!
www.roboform.com
Free PowerPoint Tutorials and Templates (200+)
For non-commercial use only. Warning! This site is not
Christian but has some very useful tutorials and beautiful,
pre-designed PowerPoint sets. This lady loves PowerPoint
and is eager to share her wealth of Knowledge with others.
www.soniacoleman.com/templates.htm
Free PowerPoint Viewer
Ever wanted to view a PowerPoint presentation someone sent you
but couldn't? Well, with this download, you can view Microsoft
PowerPoint 97, 2000, and 2002 presentations even if you don't
have PowerPoint.
The PowerPoint Viewer 97 allows people who use PowerPoint
to share their presentations with people who do not have
PowerPoint installed on their computers. When you post
presentations on the Internet, you can include the PowerPoint
Viewer to expand your online audience to people who might
not have PowerPoint, or to those with different versions. You
can use this viewer to view files created in both PowerPoint for
Windows® and PowerPoint for the Macintosh. Download
Free
Time-Saving Templates for your Microsoft Office Suite
Need to get a professional-looking publication out in a hurry?
Save loads of time and effort by using these handy, predesigned
software templates which you can easily open and edit in your
Microsoft Office software applications, like Microsoft Word, Excel,
and Powerpoint. Enjoy!
officeupdate.microsoft.com/templategallery
The Pastor's ToolKit - Multimedia CD-ROM
Twelve powerful, “hands-on” diagnostic and developmental tools
guide you around pitfalls and toward a strong, exciting and
productive congregation.
Each year 3,000 churches
close in the United States. Many
pastors are asked to leave their churches.
And it’s not always a
question of sincerity or competency. Most often,
the issue is
simply awareness – awareness of the real “state
of (their) flocks.”
The usual way to do church
is to commit it to the Lord and trust
your “gut
feeling” to do the right thing. I’m sure you will agree that
can result in some pretty “fuzzy” direction at times. Without
the
right tools, it’s easy to misread the signals and just see things
as
we want them to be rather than as they really are. The results
always
are unexpected
and painful.
The Board Was Shocked!
It looked like a “shoe-in.” Giving and attendance were up.
Everything
looked great but the annual confidence vote on their
new pastor went negative – and
he was out!
The Pastor’s Took Kit could have helped prevent the surprise.
The Pastor’s ToolKit
helps you around these hazards. Twelve
powerful, “hands-on” diagnostic
and developmental tools guide
you around the pitfalls and toward a
strong, exciting and
productive congregation.
That’s why you shouldn’t
do church without the Pastor’s ToolKit.
It can not only spare you difficulty, but help you move forward.
It might even save your ministry! Guessing about the state
of your congregation
can be hazardous to your health!
For more information, write book@zoominternet.net or visit
www.lifeenrichment.us
TRAINING
=========================
Inexpensive Software Training CDs
Want to learn how to use that mysterious software sitting on
your computer or want to improve your user skills? Here are
some excellent, video training CDs you can pop in your CD
drive and watch. This is a quick way to get you over that
learning curve and speed you on your way to preparing
quality documents and presentations.
Try an online demo lesson for free. Then buy one training
CD for $5.99 and get the next level FREE. Better yet, if you
feel comfortable doing it, download the software and burn
your own CD and you'll also get FREE SHIPPING!
www.599cd.com
Internet
via Cell Phone and Laptop
www.bmyers.com/public/288.cfm
What
Is's Fast Guide to Tutorials and Training
A comprehensive list of online training resources.
whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci532335,00.html
VIDEO TEACHING SERIES
=====================
Bringing
Up Boys Video Seminar by Dr. James Dobson
Here’s a great DVD series you could offer over and over
again as a Sunday school class elective, Wednesday evening
Bible study elective, or small group topic. The popular video
seminar based on Dr. James Dobson's bestseller Bringing Up
Boys is now available in DVD.
12-Session Seminar Includes:
4 DVDs, each with two or three
video sessions. (Each of the 11 sessions is approximately
45-80 minutes in length.)These warm, humorous, and common
sense DVDs are based on Dr. Dobson's best-selling book
Bringing Up Boys and were recorded in front of a live audience
at Focus on the Family. Eleven sessions, over 6 hours total.
Includes 96-page softcover workbook. Four DVDs.
Buy Now!
---
Wild at Heart Multi-Media Facilitator's Kit:
A Band of Brothers by John Eldredge
(40% off)
John Eldredge's bestselling book Wild at Heart (over 500,000
copies in print) has already launched thousands of men on a
phenomenal life-changing adventure with God. Now, his new
multi-media Wild at Heart video series will be the catalyst study
groups will want to use to help men discover how God defines
authentic masculinity.
In this eight-part series,
men are invited to join John and his
band of brothers as they embark on a journey to discover how
God can heal wounded hearts and put a spirit of adventure
back in the life of any man. This engaging video series includes:
Part One: "The Heart of a Man.” Part Two: "The Poser and
the
Question.” Part Three: "The Wound.” Part Four: "Healing
the
Wound.” Part Five: "A Battle to Fight.” Part Six: "An
Adventure
to Live.” Part Seven: "A Beauty to Rescue.” Part Eight: "A
Band
of Brothers.
The Wild at Heart Multi-Media
Facilitator's Kit includes John's
bestselling Wild At Heart hardcover book; the Wild at Heart Field
Manual; the Wild at Heart Facilitator's Guide; the video teaching
series of eight parts, available either in VHS or DVD format;
and the media kit (two 17" X 22" posters, a 5" X 8" bulletin
insert, an 8" X 11" ad slick, and an information letter.
Learn more
WARNINGS
=========================
Have
You Checked Lately?
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
(ICANN), is the non-profit corporation responsible for
accrediting domain name service providers. ICANN
requires domain name registration customers to keep their
account information current. Outdated contact information
can be grounds for domain name cancellation.
Identity
Thieves Are Phishing for You
Read the entire article
www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/3/17/134509.shtml
Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud
Beware! Don't get sucked into one of these often, very
spiritual-sounding e-mails. Better stop now to read this
warning so you'll be able to recognize this fraud when it
lands in your e-mailbox, and, believe me, it WILL. I receive
several of these each DAY.
Never reply to unsolicited
e-mails particularly from West Africa
and the Middle East, although they
could be from anywhere
these days, that offer you large amounts of money
for you or your
church or mission. They are all well known frauds.
Do NOT respond to official looking e-mails from your bank,
credit card or any bank asking you to confirm account details -
it is 'phishing' - the e-mail is not from your bank, it is a clever
hi-tech scam.
Do NOT reply to unsolicited e-mails that tell you have won a
European Lottery
- you have not.
Do NOT ever reply to unsolicited e-mails asking for your help,
your address
or your name and bank account to help people
from overseas to obtain visas
to your country.
Many Christians and Pastors have lost significant amounts of
money already,
please be wise and do not allow yourself to fall
into the hands of international
gangs of criminals.
www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Business/nigerian.htm
