Technology - Lo-Fi Tribe

Open Source Worship Presentation Software

We are finally moving towards worship presentation software. This painfully slow move may have been the single most frustrating aspect of the entire church planting experience. So much goes into setting up the basic aspects of a functional, edifying worship service. Most folks go to church on Sunday, and are ushered into a corporate worship experience, and then depart without giving much thought about how much time, energy, work, and basic know-how was invested into the morning. If you truly desire to peek behind the curtain, to see just how much energy and know-how it takes to lead a congregation into the presence of God on a Sunday morning, then plant a church. You will not only have to find, recruit, and develop a technology/media savvy crew, but you will also have to learn all about the technology, software, and hardware required to develop a relevant and meaningful worship experience. You will have to learn these things, unless, of course, you sit on your laurels and wait for God to send you someone to do it for you. If that’s the case, don’t bother. You will fail.

June 27, 2008 | Tags: Church Planting, Open Source, Software, Technology, Worship

An Online Bible and Opportunity for Global Collaboration

YouVersion

YouVersion bills itself as a revolutionary online community! And it just may be! Its revolutionary potential finds a catalyst in the fact that it is a community built totally around the Bible and conversations about the Bible. YouVersion is a community built around the idea that online collaboration and interactive sharing can actually change the way we interact with the texts and one another in important ways. YouVersion is the epitome of “Open Source” theology and Biblical study. If there was ever a sign of the global decentralization of Biblical interpretation, this is it. Said differently, the work of Biblical interpretation has been freed from the ivory - and stale - towers of academia. The reformers would be amazed! This ‘aint the 16th century no more!

This is not your run-of-the-mill pew Bible. It’s not just another online Bible either. This is a fully interactive Bible that features 16 translations and community collaboration! The community collaboration is the most important feature of this virtual Bible. Users can add notes, commentary, stories and help decide if what others have added is relevant to the text to which it was added. Basically, this is an open source commentary that evolves, grows, and corrects itself in community. It is truly remarkable. Read More »

April 17, 2008 | Tags: Bible, Collaboration, Online, Social Networking, Software

The Church and Social Networking Tools

IMG Facebook Page

The incredible rise of social networking tools on the Internet is a phenomenon that should not be ignored by the Church. Web 2.0 applications and dedicated Social Networking sites offer the church very real and very practical opportunities to share important information, make lasting contacts, establish virtual relationships, and coordinate missional activity on scales that go well beyond the local environment. For the first time ever, perhaps, we can share field stories, suggestions, tips, and successes in real-time without time or geographical borders or barriers. It is truly a remarkable phenomenon. Read More »

April 11, 2008 | Tags: Internet, Missional, Networking, Social Networking

Personas for Firefox Web Browsers

Personas for Firefox

Personas for Firefox offers a far superior way to theme or personalize your Mozilla Firefox browser. Yesterday’s Firefox theme system and methodology feels archaic and clumsy in comparison. Personas renders the time-consuming and frustrating search for quality browser themes obsolete. Also gone is the need for downloading, installing, and restarting the browser to actually use any one theme. Personas is very similar to a CSS theme switcher. Install it and click the Firefox mask to access a menu loaded with categories and themes that can be applied to your browser with one click of your mouse. The personalizations are applied in real-time, before your very eyes! There is no need to download individual themes, install, or restart. It’s all right there in front of you. Read More »

April 10, 2008 | Tags: Internet