Lab Test – 5 Sites for Sermon Video Illustrations

Video is a great tool for getting the message across. I wanted to try a few of the popular sermon video sites out. So like all great tech articles, I did a lab test.

Integrating Plogger into WordPress

My PloggerPress plugin has been quite a popular download for WordPress users looking to incorporate an image gallery into their blog. However, to integrate the whole of Plogger into your blog’s theme as I have done (GALLERY) is not all that straightforward. Until recently David Perality’s instructions on the subject covered this. So due to popular demand and the mysterious disappearance of David’s original post, here is my guide to this piece of blog trickery…

Temptations of desert bread

The first temptation of Jesus is pictured in this image, part of this week’s lectionary reading from Luke 4:1-13.

Velvet Elvis – faith resprayed?

Rob Bell is founding pastor of Mars Hill (–with a web site to go ooooh over of course). This recent book is his angle on what living the Christian story might look like in a post modern world. Admitting that he spent his first year at Mars Hill teaching through the book of Leviticus may not strike you as being most relevant, but Rob puts a lot of emphasis on the Jewish context of Jesus the Rabbi and the Old Testament.

Reasons to choose WordPress for your church web site

I came across Cory Miller‘s post about why WordPress is so perfect for church web sites. These are very good reasons for choosing the tool, but they are what I would class as technical reasons. I’d like to suggest some other reasons.

Transfiguration

What do you do when you are confronted with the weight of the total otherness of God (His glory)? Build a tent of course! Well that is what Peter suggested they do. It is a response to the divine that we often emulate because doing stuff seems to come more naturally than simply being. This week’s lectionary reading in Luke 9:28-43 inspired this latest image…

White Oak UMC – Content is king!

Tony Burgess e-mailed me about his church’s new site, currently hosted at wordpress.com. This has to be one of the best examples of a WordPress-driven church web site, I’ve seen.

It isn’t a fancy web site that will attract people to the gospel; its a living, breathing Christ-centred community.

It shows a church that is alive and presents clear up-to date information about the church and its life. One of the clear advantages of using WordPress (or similar tools) is that it can create a sense of community and activity with very little effort. By simply regularly posting what is happening in the church community, you create a window into your church that shows a vibrant and attractive community. White Oak have achieved this with their site.

A bit of a reboot

I thought it was time for a new theme for this blog. I’m still ironing out the wrinkles, so mind how you go!