Tech for the Local Church
Cloud
Does Google Hate Christians? Do Christians Hate Google?!
Nov 9th
Answer: NO. And some.
But if you were to believe some vocal Christians complaining about Google changing their policies, you would think that they do hate us. Google used to give away the Education version of Google Apps to all non-profit organizations, including churches. Now they do not. You can still use google apps for free, but they limit the service to 10 email addresses / accounts.
To be honest, I was sad to hear the news, too. But we cannot assume that this is because they have a low opinion about faith-based non-profit organizations. The laws that protect churches registered as non-profits are also under attack – specifically the tax laws. We should not be surprised by government or business that wants to remove financial advantages that churches have enjoyed for years. And to go further, I don’t think we should make assumptions about the motives behind these changes.
What I do know is that Google provides a great value for churches who want to use their services. If 10 email addresses isn’t enough, I suggest you pay for the service – its $50/year per seat. If you have an IT guy on the payroll who is managing Exchange server, you would save money to retire the server and use Google Apps for email/docs/calendar/contacts and dropbox.com to share files.
That is my advice and I am sticking to it.
Interface Transformation: Things to Come “As the Ruin Falls”?
Oct 23rd
What will we call them when portable computers aren’t really meant to be “laptop-centric” anymore (as in that point in the near-future we can call ‘a week ago, last Thursday’ — last February, actually)? That “when” has already arrived, of course, but the ‘future-then’ was just a hint at the reality of the ‘future-now’.
Several of the particulars covered in our first podcast went well beyond my personal experience and technical expertise, but they were all things I’m glad I learned more about. Actually, the subject of “bringing your tech-friend to church” was especially interesting to me, in part because it’s a geek-factor game for me to guess what tech might be like in in the future-soon.
Now, here comes engadget.com with their usual, ahead-of-the-competition, insider-esque reveal of a game-changing development in the hardware we’ll be using to make precious little bits (and bytes) rain down on us from our connection(s) to The Cloud.
Up Next: No Screens is Good Screens. The story goes like this …
10 Killer iPhone Apps: #2 DropBox
Oct 21st
Dropbox is simple. You put files in. You get your files out. Its almost too simple. People miss the brilliance. It is not WHAT you put in your dropbox … it is WHERE you get to access those files and how easy it is to SHARE your files.
Access your Dropbox on the go- Download files for offline viewing
- Sync photos and videos to your Dropbox
- Share links to files in your Dropbox
Good News for Friends of THE Good News in THE Good Book
Oct 20th
Very little need be said: Google bringing Dead Sea Scrolls online … except for the fact that this has been a long time coming (long-promised, oft-rumored, repeatedly-requested, highly-anticipated — still just announced as a work in progress, so prayers continue), and it will be GREAT to see it becoming more fully “open source.” After all, that’s exactly how it should be seen: The Ultimate Open Source!
May God bless the increase of access to His Word with an increase of His kingdom — to His glory and our tremendous benefit. Amen and Amen.
‘Google Apps’ Loves You, Church, and Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Data
Oct 8th
Improve organizational operations
Raise awareness for your cause
I heard some good news the other day that I wish someone had told me long ago. It’s something that every church staff, para-church team and any other not-for-profit organization can receive as a great blessing, and it might even be a game-changer which helps us get God’s Good Word of Hope out more easily and with great effect.
Brad Stark of Appirio.com puts it like this: “Every dime saved on communications and data-management software costs by using Google Apps can go to the Kingdom instead … and that’s a LOT of dimes!” So true, and Google Apps for non-profits is already helping ministry groups all over the world.
But is it helping your ministry? If not, maybe you have the same problem I had. I knew Google Apps, but I needed the Google way explained to me “more adequately.” I had no idea that their slug-line was something they wanted me to take personally:
You are changing the world. We want to help you.
Shards are for Sharing: Google Apps (esp. for Non-Profit Organizations)
Oct 6th
Brad Stark is a Google Solutions Architect (is that one of the 10 greatest job titles ever, or what?!) at Appirio.com, and one the MANY things I learned about Google Apps– for non-profits, including churches– in our recent interview with him (podcast episode coming soon!) is that “shards” are a very good thing for cloud-users who are glad to no longer worry about data-recovery, back-up redundancy plans, happy instead to enjoy all the benefits of flexible, multi-user accessibility to documents and data-security with none of the latent web-security issues we have heard so much about.
How can that be? Shards! That’s how.
Podcast 004 – Google Apps for Your Church? YES! An Authority Speaks.
Oct 6th
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE:
Subscribe Here: http://portablesermons.com/ministryvault
Or Here: http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/ministry-vault/id382190586
Brad Stark has helped some of the largest BIG enterprise companies switch to Google Apps. He explains the benefits of Google Apps, the difference between the paid and free versions of Google Apps, and answers questions about the main concerns in the minds of many churches considering a move to Google apps. A few show links after the break … More >
Safe and Saferer: Google Apps are Good(er than ever)!
Oct 4th
When ‘good’ data management and security protocols aren’t good enough for some people, they must be made ‘gooder.’ And ‘gooder’ can only be made ‘gooder-est’ when ‘safe’ is made ‘saferer’.
And ‘saferer’ is exactly how to describe what Google Apps is doing with data security in the very ‘cloudy’ extended forecast for us all here in Internetville.
Not all clouds are the same, and this helpful article, Is user data safe in the cloud?, points out several significant security concerns with some forms of cloud-computing. The upshot is that the cloud itself is not inherently secure (no big surprise there), because not all cloud-based business is done with secure protocols. This only news in the sense that some of the causes and effects — the implications for unsuspecting, perhaps too-trusting users– are explained in non-tech-geek clarity.
All of this very practical information invites a closer look to see what IS secure and reliable in the cloud. Once again, we can say hello to our little friends (you guessed it): Google Apps.
Cloud-Computing: Eternal Security?
Oct 1st
No, not quite, but it IS about as close as we can get our data to it in this crazy, mixed-up, fallen, and virus-ridden world– both analog and digital …
“To cloud or not to cloud” is no longer the question. The plain truth is: the use of cloud-computing for every kind of data management, development, storage, access, sharing, back-ups and protection IS, and, while the experts are quick to say that it can still be improved, those who know best make audaciously bold– but verifiably-accurate– statements like this (courtesy of Neil MacDonald of Gartner by way of Scott Campbell at CRN.com):
Cloud Security Is Better Than What You Have Today
“Who Will We Send (Online), and Who Will Go (Do Tech) for Us?”
Sep 28th
While we are busy deciding what technologies to use as ministry tools, it’s important to remember that we need people (both staff and volunteers) to supervise, implement, and develop the technology to productive effect in the Kingdom.
We might have the best (or most expensive) programs and systems that money can “buy,” but they won’t work unless we have people to use them and make the most of them.
A recent listing for an online magazine position prompts another round of discussion in the Google-Apps-are-Church-Management-tools discussion which Brook Drumm (fearless leader here at M’Vault and at portablesermons.com) started.
It appears that, increasingly, the question of whether “to cloud or not to cloud” is already be a moot point. If the business world adapts (much of it already has) to web-based applications– leaving on-site network systems behind– then they will be seeking employees with cloud-based information management talents and training. Schools will meet that market demand by supplying a prospect-pool of graduates– adepts– comfortable and familiar with these tools as a matter of course. This is the new basic skill-set.
Not only are the tools of data management shifting to the cloud, the workforce must necessarily follow. This workforce includes the brothers and sisters in Christ who minister alongside us by means of technology. And Google Apps is the leaps-and-bounds-ahead leader in the field.
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