A nice view to relax with after a very busy week!

Did you know that Google can help you with that?

Google has a free tool called Google Voice that can be used by your ministry to make free local and long distance calls.

Check out my recent post on GoogleGospel.com titled 3 Simple Steps For Free Phone Calls Through Google+ to get you started today!

So, today I thought I would share my current system. It is not perfect but it is better than nothing…it works, it was relatively simple and required only a minimal amount of time and cost to put into place. Here are my current backup tools:

1) Dropbox:  All my currently active client files (the files I need access to every day) are in Dropbox (cloud storage). I have (over the years) invited enough people to join Dropbox that I have received 21GB of free space (the max they give away for free) in my Dropbox account so that is usually enough for my day-today files.

2) Google Drive:  This is essentially the exact same type of service as Dropbox – it is what is called Cloud-Storage or Cloud File Sharing. Google Drive gives you 5GB of space for free and you can upgrade to some cheap monthly paid plans (as you also can with Dropbox).  I currently pay $5.00 per month and for that I get 100GB of additional storage and this is where I archive all my past client files from the past 5 years as well as a backup of all of my wife’s pictures (she has 30GB of pics alone

Cloud Storage Rationale:  The main reason I use these two cloud storage tools is that it affords me access to every client file I could possibly need – from anywhere.  As long as I have a computer and an Internet connection I can get a file and if I am working on a file on my desktop and then go meet a client in a coffee shop I can have the most recent version of that file at my fingertips to show them. Plus Dropbox and Google Drive allows me to always have collaboration tools/files in place with all my subcontractors and clients.

3) Backup Drive: I also bough a 4 Terabyte backup drive from Costco – I think it was about $150 which is ridiculously cheap for that much space but it essentially is auto-backing up everything I am working on every minute of the day. It is a Western Digital “My Book” external hard drive.  It also backs up all my Dropbox and Google Drive folders as well. It is my “physical” solution….just because I don’t want to put 100% faith in Google and Dropbox. These types of backup drives are easy to set up (I think it took me 20 minutes) and provide a physical/digital copy of every file on my desktop/laptop and cloud storage.

Double Up: So, essentially I have everything backed up twice. What this does is it gives me mobility with the “cloud” and gives me security of the physical drive. I am covered both ways. If my house burns down or someone bvreaks in and steals my backup drive most of my key files are in the cloud. If Google or Dropbox is unaccessable or I cannot get on the web, I have everything on my backup drive.

That’s my process This may evoke more questions – so please feel free to fire away in the comments section below!

You might also have your own backup tools and I welcome you to share your solutions in the comments below.

A friend of mine wrote a post that had me thinking It was entitled: “Are you literally marketing like the devil?”

Now doesn’t that just stop you?  It stopped me.  And it got me thinking about marketing:

1. What it is
2. What most people think its not
3. And why Jesus was a Master Marketer

What is Marketing?

Many people (good meaning people) think marketing is evil.  But how could it be?  God created it.  Paul said, “Everything, absolutely everything…got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him.” [1] That “everything” also includes “marketing.”

Unfortunately, marketing gets a bad rap because of bad men…but at its core its not bad, its good.

Marketing is communication.  It’s telling people about the benefits of something AND asking them to experience it themselves.  It becomes viral when people who experience the benefits (and are impressed by it) start telling other people about it.  And the greatest form of marketing is not direct mail, not ads, not cold calls, not commercials, but service: service that exceeds expectations.

Jesus understood that.

With no marketing budget, no blog, no social media, no ads, no direct mail He drew crowds so immense that most marketers would’ve passed out from disbelief!!

What was His secret?

He served. He met the needs of people. The Bible says:

“From there He went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the Truth of God. God’s kingdom was His theme – that beginning right now they were under God’s government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives.  Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all.” [2]

Jesus was a Master Marketer!

What’s the Difference?

The devil’s a marketer too.  And let’s be honest, he’s pretty good.  When you can get someone to give up joy, peace, contentment, and eternal life with God for a piece of fruit…you know you can sell!!

So both of them (Jesus and the devil) are marketers, so what the main difference?  Simple.  Jesus delivers what He promises!

Jesus promises and over delivers, while the devil over promises and under delivers! Why?  It’s simple he’s “a liar and the father of lies!” [3]

Your job as marketer is to deliver on what you promised.  To be there like you said.  To serve.  To meet needs.  To exceed expectations.  Do that enough times and people (like a Samaritan women) will tell everyone they know about you: “Come see a Man…Is not this the Christ?!” [4]

Or, ”Hey! Check this out! Isn’t this what (or who) we’ve been looking for?!”

What are your thoughts?

1. Colossians 1:16 (The Message)
2. Matthew 4:23-24 (The Message)
3. John 8:44 (New Living Translation)
4. John 4: 29 (King James Version)

Michael Holmes is the author of I Shall Raise Thee Up: Ancient Principles for Lasting Greatness.  His new project is Tithe(H)acker.

“Get Visual: Bump up the quality of images on your site“.

Church leaders: how can we be more creative with the images on our church websites so that people would be motivated to pin them?

They appropriately created this video to celebrate their special day. (Click here if you cannot see it embedded in the post)

Important Statistics

Some key stats for you to know:

• On January 23, 2012 Youtube surpassed over 4 Billion views per day
• As of May 2012 there are over 72 hours of video uploaded to Youtube every minute
• 65% of the North American population is projected to own a smart-phone or tablet by 2015

The Search Story

Two weeks ago I was talking with a couple that was new to our church.  As I frequently do, I asked,

“How was it that you came to be here at LifeBridge today?“

They told me their story of how they had just been transferred to the city and then the husband said

“the other night we were on Youtube and we typed in Churches in Halifax, discovered a sermon by your pastor and decided we would come check out this church”.

Did you get that? They searched in Youtube not in Google. Youtube is now the Internet’s second largest search engine and people are using it to find churches.  Youtube is a channel for you to give life to your church. To promote your events, tell your story, and post your sermons.

In my opinion, a one minute Youtube video can communicate more of your ministry culture and your passion for people than all the written text in the world.  Your church needs to use Youtube.  Imagine the creative ways you could leverage it!

Please feel free to tell some stories of how your church has used or is using Youtube to support your ministry in the comments below.

I have a lot of things I personally need to get focused on. I have been making some progress on that front this past week.  This week it continues.

I want to blog. I want to share. I want to think. I want to wrestle. I want to discuss. I want to educate church leaders.

With that said…it is time to get back to blogging and podcasting.  This week I will. Today I am.

This morning, I watched this nine minute video.  I think it is the perfect place to start getting back on track.  If I don’t find my chair it is all for nothing anyway.  You see, I have a chair…I just haven’t been sitting in it consistently enough. Today I returned to my chair.

“One simple question gang…where’s your chair”?

Please – take 9-minutes to watch this video – it is that important…that’s why I am asking you to do it:

Bill Hybels – Coffee with God . If you cannot see the embedded video…please click here.

So, what are you going to do with this?  God wants to have coffee with you…do you want to have coffee with Him?

If you cannot see the video, please click here…

So, have you used Google+ Hangouts and if so, what do you think about them?

If you cannot see the embedded video…click here.