Gospel.com Blog

Do your kids use MySpace or other social networking sites? (And if your answer is “no”… are you sure about that?) Horror stories about online predators on MySpace make it tough for technology-challenged parents to address the issue without overreacting. In a new series of articles at Al Menconi Ministries, Brian Dixon walks parents through the steps they can take to make sure their kids are staying safe on MySpace. Staying informed and keeping open the lines of communication with your kids is more effective than simply denying them use of MySpace–so find out what you can do to safeguard your family!

In the past several years, Wikipedia has become a popular source of information on everything from higher mathematics to your favorite TV shows. TechMission hopes to bring the spirit of collaboration which makes Wikipedia a success into the realm of Christian community ministry, with their Encyclopedia of Urban Ministry wiki.

The wiki is intended to be a constantly-expanding resource, covering four main topics: how to run a Christian community computer center, addiction recovery (especially from pornography), urban youth ministry, and short-term missions and volunteer management.

If you’re looking for youth technology curricula, information on discerning your calling, or tips on how to protect yourself and your family from internet dangers, the Encyclopedia of Urban Ministry may prove quite helpful. Since it’s a wiki, you’re invited not simply to learn, but to share your knowledge. If you’ve got something to contribute on one of the topics, stop by and share your knowledge–and help the Body of Christ profit from the diverse gifts of its members!

Churches and Christian ministries are often accused, not without some justification, of being behind the technology curve when it comes to using technology in ministry. If you’re a Christian who thinks there’s plenty of untapped ministry potential in computers and technology, TechMission is the ministry for you.

TechMission’s main purpose is to rally Christians and churches behind the cause of spreading computer literacy. To that end, TechMission supports hundreds of Christian computer centers across the US and around the globe, assisting local communities with training and other resources. Most churches and ministries would benefit from their freely-downloadable Christian Freeware CD, which contains dozens of free programs of use to Christian organizations. They’re also behind the Christian Volunteering project, which we’ve mentioned here in the past.

There’s plenty more to read about at the TechMission site–if your passion is to see technology put to work serving people in the name of Christ, take a few minutes to read about their ministry–and consider getting involved yourself.

What’s it like to look down on Earth from space? Is it a transcendent experience, one that imparts a new understanding of God and faith? It’s an interesting question, and one that Army astronaut Jeffrey Williams addresses in a column at the Officers’ Christian Fellowship. Drawing on personal experience, Williams talks about the fresh perspective on his own faith that his extra-terrestrial work has given him.

Gospelcon, the annual internet ministry conference hosted by Gospel Communications, is almost here! The conference, which takes place later this month in Chicago, features three days of workshops, training, and networking about every facet of internet ministry.

Registration closes soon, but if you’re curious you can read more about the conference at the Gospelcon website–check out the list of speakers and the schedule of workshops. And if you can’t make it this year, the Gospelcon blog will be reporting live from the conference as it happens, so you can check back there for updates.

The Answers in Genesis website has gotten a major facelift, which coincides with their new print & television campaign. Read the details of the redesign here, or just stop by the main site to have a look at what’s new.

What do our iPods say about us? In a new article over the Online Pulpit, Craig Loscalzo muses about what he sees as the “iPodization” of our culture. Specifically, he wonders if gadgets like the iPod–and other “do it yourself” services and items–can subtly cause us to withdraw into our own self-made circles without making an effort to participate in the society around us.

With our increasingly do-it-yourself lifestyles, do we risk retreating into our own private worlds and away from the people around us? Or is he reading too much into these trends? Read Loscalzo’s article and see what you think.