Are You Connected?

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Written by Gregory Jantz

God is the ultimate filter for every part of our lives—including technology

Technology is powerful—drawing you in, altering your world and expectations, even defining who you are. If you’re not careful, what you start out controlling has a way of controlling you.

There’s nothing quite like the power of saying yes. The ability to say yes is heady, immediate and satisfying. It’s the feeling of having the world at your fingertips. No matter what the latest “it” app is, with the slide of that finger, the press of a button or the click of a mouse, your options magically unfold in nearly geometric progression.

But with every yes comes a consequence: when you say yes to all this technology, you attach yourself to a digital umbilical cord that can be difficult to remove—even temporarily.

If you’re not careful, what you start out controlling has a way of controlling you.

Twitter for Your Church

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Written by Mickey Mellen

Believe it or not, 140 characters could solve your communication problems

If you're a church leader who feels like your church should be using the social networking tool Twitter, but you're not sure how to leverage it to carry out your church's vision or mission, here are a few techniques that may give you some ideas for getting started.
Showcase your staff. On your church website's "Staff" page, provide clear links to those staff members on Twitter. This is also a good place to link to their profiles on other social networking sites like Facebook. Here's an example:
Show live chats from events. A simple hash tag (indicated by a "#") can go a long way. At a recent youth event, our church encouraged people to use a hash tag when discussing the event on Twitter, and then we pointed parents to the Twitter search results page for that hash tag. Note: It was very popular, but you do run the risk of someone posting something inappropriate; nothing can be cleaned up or deleted.

Did You Miss This in the News?

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Written by Charisma Staff

Check out some links below to recent stories from Charisma News that you'll find interesting and informative. You can also sign up to receive stories on your smart phone by signing up for the free app Charisma News by clicking here.

Mark Driscoll Compares Twilight Saga to Pornography
In Wake of Obama's Failures, Netanyahu Has Become Leader of Free World
Court: Hobby Lobby Must Violate Faith, Pay for Abortion Pills
Court Halts Aborton-Pill Mandate Against Bible Publisher
IHOPU Offers Statement About Off-Campus Murder

Did You Miss This in the News?

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Written by Charisma Staff

Check out some links below to recent stories from Charisma News that you'll find interesting and informative. You can also sign up to receive stories on your smart phone by signing up for the free app Charisma News by clicking here.

Should Birth Control Pills Be Sold Over the Counter?
Thanksgiving-The Remedy for a Rotten Attitude
Gay Marriage, Obama, Legalized Pot Dividing Families on Thanksgiving
Boy Miraculously Survives Deadly Shooting on Indian Reservation
When Sex Scandals Hit Sesame Street

Facebook: A Great Communication Tool

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Written by Marty Duren/Lifeway

If your church doesn’t have a presence on Facebook, you are overlooking an effective communication tool for engaging members and potential visitors.

More than 1 billion people are now part of this social media phenomenon. With so many people already connecting on Facebook, it’s an easy way for your church to stay in touch with your congregation and reach out to your community.

It’s easy to create a page on Facebook.

Bankruptcy of Church and State: When Clergy Is Blind and Justice Isn’t

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Written by Dan Cummins

America’s political and religious establishments are broken. Washington fails to provide the answers needed to solve the economic and political crises facing us at home and abroad. The church fails to exhibit the moral guidance necessary to hold a collapsing culture together. The nation is rapidly losing faith in both institutions, evidenced by declining approval ratings. 

The political process in Washington is overheating in partisan gridlock while our churches are becoming increasingly ineffective and indifferent to the ongoing culture wars. Both institutions are insolvent to the fiscal and spiritual indebtedness they have incurred upon the nation.  Neither can produce the economic capital or spiritual stimulus to jumpstart the economy or usher in revival.