Book Suggestion: Gary V's Crush It

I highly suggest that you read Gary V's book Crush It. This is the first non-Christian book, music, or podcast that I have suggested on this blog. I believe though that the things that Gary suggests in this book are not just game changing for the marketplace, but for the church as well. We live in a different age that is changing so fast due to social media and technolgoy that we have to be in tune to the possibilities.

In this book, Gary lays out a practical Social Media plan that any entrepreneur can adopt and take their passion, product, or organization to the next level. I believe that the ideas that Gary suggests can be easily adaptable when it comes to the church and opens up windows to possibilities that we have never dreamed of before. It is mind blowing to think that a small home church in Indiana can now have a global impact using Facebook, Twitter, and a Flip Cam.

I really can't encourage you enough to pick up this book with an open mind. It's a quick read that took me about a day and a half or so. I have to give fair warning that some of the language is PG-13 but pretty clean in comparison to some of Gary's keynotes. When you've read it email me at nilssmith1204@gmail.com and let me know what you think. I would love to buy you a cup of coffee or iChat and get your thoughts and discuss how we might Crush It together. You can get more info about the book on the Crush It website or at Amazon.

Baptist Standard Article

A couple weeks ago Pastor Les Hollon and I were interviewed by the Baptist Standard about my new role as Community Online Pastor at Trinity Baptist. The article is on the cover of the paper which you can read here on their website. The article was also posted by the Associate Baptist Press and you can also find the article on their website here. It was a privilege to meet George Henson and he did a great job in writing this article for the paper. I hope that our experiences and efforts can be helpful to churches and ministries everywhere in expanding the gospel through online resources. The YouTube video was a clip from out interview with Mr. Henson. If you have any questions about what I'm doing at Trinity or about technology and ministry in general I would love to talk. Feel free to email me at nilssmith1204@gmail.com.

Music Suggestion: Justin Graves Band

If you live in San Antonio, I'm sure you know or have heard about The Justin Graves Band. You see a picture above taken by Eric Gay with Justin getting to jam with Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. I have had the privilege of partnering with Justin in ministry many times in many places over the past 10 years or so. Justin has a unique ability to lead people of all ages and backgrounds in worship. I've watched him lead both 8 year olds and 80 year olds in meaningful worship experiences. If you are not familiar with his music make sure to check out his music at www.JustinGravesMusic.com. If you are familiar with his music, I want to encourage you to check out his ministry page at www.JustinGravesMinistries.com and consider giving to support his ministry through music. Justin, Michelle, and Gabi have been great friends to Katie, Emery, and me; and we look forward to both continuing to do ministry together as well as deepening our friendship in the years to come.

Suggested Blog: The Kisers

This past Monday, I had the incredible opportunity to teach together with my sister at Segue. She spoke to the ladies while I spoke to the guys about "Finding the 1" (Notes will be posted soon). It's been so fun to watch her ministry grow and develop and I cannot wait to see how God continues to use her through her writing and teaching in the coming years. I can't encourage you enough to take the time to check out here blog: www.thekisers.blogspot.com. Also, if you're a pastor or youth pastor and you're looking for someone to come and speak to your ladies or girls groups, you need to send Becky a message.

You can also read her husband (my brother-in-law) Chris' blog at www.christopherjkiser.blogspot.com. Chris doesn't blog as regularly, but his posts are solid and thought provoking. The majority of his blogs are spiritual but he also knows more about politics than anyone I know. I would love to see him blog a little about where Faith and Politics collide.

Want to host your own podcast?

Ever thought about sharing a podcast for your church or just doing one yourself? If you're like me you've wanted to but thought it was too complicated. Recently I heard about a FREE website, Buzzsprout, where you can host podcasts very easily and simply upload them to iTunes. My Dad has actually begun uploading his podcasts here from Splendora Countryside UMC. About a year ago we tried doing a Podcast for our Student Ministry. You can check out the archives here. We used iWeb to as our platform, but it's not near as easy to use as Buzzsprout. What can it hurt to try it out, it's FREE!

Need a Website for your Ministry? Try Clover Sites!

Do you need a website for your ministry or thinking about getting a new one? Consider Clover sites! I've never seen such quality websites like the ones the Clover provides anywhere near the price that they offer. For a $1,000 setup fee and $20/month you can have a fully functional professional website for your ministry. You can easily display your calendar and media (videos, pictures, and podcast files) on your site as well as clearly communicating the mission and activities within your ministry. Even if you have a great website, I encourage you to take 5 minutes and get to know Clover and share this info with a friend who might need a new and affordable website for their ministry. Click here to find out more about Clover Sites.