Create and use a signature file, commonly called a sig file, in all your email. Many people will click on the link in your sig file just to see who you are and what you're all about. Who knows where that may lead?
To create your own sig file, Write a snazzy little blurb about your business - about 6-7 lines - and include it in every email message you send... even forwards and replies.
Here's mine:
Bishop's Corner
Nearly 1,000 Items $19.95 or Less!
http://bishopscornerweb.com/store/
Outlook and Outlook Express will manage this for you automatically.
In Outlook, go to Tools, Options, Mail Format, Signature Picker, New and insert your information.
In Outlook Express, go to Tools, Options, Signatures, New and insert your information.
You may find it easier to create your sig file in a text editor and then just paste it into the email program. But whatever you do, create a simple file, include your URL, and start today to use it in every email message you send.
For pastors, Christian business owners and others, a sig file can add a tremendous amount of traffic and exposure to your website. Worth the time and effort, don't you think?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Free Resources for Your Church
During the course of my ministerial studies in the Church of the Nazarene, and in serving as a pastor and evangelist, I have come in contact with many ministers, the majority of them in small churches with 50 or less members. As such, I've realized that most of these men and women are unaware of the vast array of free resources available to them and their congregations via the Internet.
There are literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of Christian Websites and organizations that provide free materials on a wide range of topics. At Google.com (the recognized best search engine online), there were 54,600,000 listings found when searching for "Christian resources." Not all of these are free, of course, but many are. These include such things as:
• Articles and newsletters on most any topic imaginable
• Vacation Bible School crafts, ideas and curricula
• Graphics for the church bulletin
• Web hosting for church Websites
• Original skits and full-length plays
• Poetry and Christian readings
• Sermon outlines and illustrations
• Bible studies
• Commentaries, concordances, Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias
• Printable games, puzzles, worksheets, and crafts
• Online prayer chains and support groups
• Statistics on the state of the church and Christianity in the United States
• Games, activities, devotionals, and more geared to specific age groups
• International recipes, languages, and other mission study resources
• Full-length texts from John Wesley, Charles Spurgeon, Elmer Towns, and many other Christian writers and preachers
• Printable tracts
• Full-length books on a huge variety of topics
• Creative evangelism resources and ideas
• Church management, accounting and Bible study software
• Much, much more!
Here is just a sampling of specific resources found as of this writing:
Over 90 FREE Christian books
http://www.freebooks.com/
Can be used in a Christian home school curriculum for high school. Topics: Biblical worldview, Christian economics, Christian history, government, foreign policy, family, evangelism, Christian education, eschatology, much more.
Eldrbarry's "Do Them Yerselves" Vacation Bible School Materials
http://www.eldrbarry.net/vbs/vbsc.htm
FREE VBS materials that can be adapted or used as is to launch a full-fledged Vacation Bible School.
AppleSauce Kids
http://applesaucekids.com/
Free Christian youth ministry materials and resources, group games, activities, coloring pages, crafts, Sunday school lessons, youth group ideas, and much more.
Constant Hope
http://www.constanthope.org/resources/
Free Church bulletin ideas and content, free Christian booklets on prayer, peace, love and encouragement, free Scripture booklets dealing with prayer, peace, love and support.
SermonCentral.com
http://www.sermoncentral.com/
Sermon resource center where you can search over 81,000 free sermons, illustrations and dramas.
New Testament Greek
http://www.ntgreek.org/
Learn the grammar and syntax of New Testament Greek. Easy to understand Biblical Greek grammar and syntax for readers of English. Grammatical explanations and other resources for learning Greek.
The Barna Group
http://www.barna.org/
Information-heavy environment with data about current trends in our culture and analysis that you can trust and use.
ElmerTowns.com
http://www.elmertowns.com/
Free books and valuable resources to use for the study of church growth, Sunday School, Christian education, Bible study and exposition, and Christian life. Includes many free, full-length books.
John Wesley's Christian Library
http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/christian_library/index.htm
All 30 volumes of John Wesley's "A Christian Library," scanned from the 1821 edition of these classics.
CBN's Tract and Literature Ministries
http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/TeachingSheets/
Free Bible-based teaching sheets to help people understand God and Christian beliefs in a clear, concise format.
BulletinInserts.org
http://bulletininserts.org/
Free downloadable bulletin inserts for personal or church use.
World Missionary Press
http://www.wmpress.org/
Interdenominational faith ministry producing 48-page topical Scripture booklets in 318 languages, plus Bible studies and New Testaments for free worldwide distribution.
YouthPastor.com
http://youthpastor.com/
Free youth ministry resources for youth pastors, ministers, workers and volunteers. Online resources include a job center, free lessons, a searchable directory of ministries, game and lesson ideas.
As stated, these are only a very small sample of the abundance of free and low-cost resources available for pastors and churches. As a pastor and Christian writer, I encourage you to make the most of the wealth of free resources available to assist you and your congregation in reaching lost and hurting souls for Jesus.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Never Alone
One of the greatest aspects of being a Christian for me, and living daily with Jesus, is the fact that I am never alone.
No matter what I'm doing, where I have to go, Jesus is there beside me. Not only guiding and directing, but simply keeping me company. Being a loving, faithful Companion so that I need never be lonely.
Do you have that assurance in your own life? It's available for anyone who asks. Just ask.
No matter what I'm doing, where I have to go, Jesus is there beside me. Not only guiding and directing, but simply keeping me company. Being a loving, faithful Companion so that I need never be lonely.
Do you have that assurance in your own life? It's available for anyone who asks. Just ask.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Sacrifice
I've been thinking about this word lately... sacrifice. Do we have any idea what it really means? We say, "Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice." We mean that He gave His very life so we could live forever. We talk about "giving sacrificially." We mean giving when we really can't afford to give. Do we really understand these concepts?
Jesus--the sinless Son of God in the flesh!--surrendered Himself to be arrested, mocked, spit upon, ridiculed, beaten, and stripped naked. He trudged down a long, dusty road carrying a cross that was so heavy He fell under the weight of it and someone had to help Him lift it back up and carry it for Him. He allowed men who hated Him to drive nails into His hands and hoist Him up on this same rough, wooden cross. His flesh was ripped. His body was pierced. And then He said... "Father, forgive them. They don't even know what they're doing!" Can we really grasp what He did for us?
And then we--especially in America--talk about giving sacrificially. We don't give sacrificially. We give out of our abundance. We may pay our 10% tithe--many Christians don't even do that! And if we do pay our tithes, the 90% we have left is greater than what most people in the world have. Then we fuss and feud if the pastor asks for a special offering to meet a need in the church and accuse him or her of "always asking for money." If we truly gave sacrificially, the pastor wouldn't have to ask for money. The church bank account would be full and we could eliminate social service programs because the Church would be doing her job and meeting the needs of the poor and hungry.
Sacrifice... a hard word. An even harder concept. What do you think about it?
Jesus--the sinless Son of God in the flesh!--surrendered Himself to be arrested, mocked, spit upon, ridiculed, beaten, and stripped naked. He trudged down a long, dusty road carrying a cross that was so heavy He fell under the weight of it and someone had to help Him lift it back up and carry it for Him. He allowed men who hated Him to drive nails into His hands and hoist Him up on this same rough, wooden cross. His flesh was ripped. His body was pierced. And then He said... "Father, forgive them. They don't even know what they're doing!" Can we really grasp what He did for us?
And then we--especially in America--talk about giving sacrificially. We don't give sacrificially. We give out of our abundance. We may pay our 10% tithe--many Christians don't even do that! And if we do pay our tithes, the 90% we have left is greater than what most people in the world have. Then we fuss and feud if the pastor asks for a special offering to meet a need in the church and accuse him or her of "always asking for money." If we truly gave sacrificially, the pastor wouldn't have to ask for money. The church bank account would be full and we could eliminate social service programs because the Church would be doing her job and meeting the needs of the poor and hungry.
Sacrifice... a hard word. An even harder concept. What do you think about it?
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Christian Business
Since being a Christian is who I am, and - along with pastoring - owning a business is what I do - I can safely call myself a Christian in business, or a Christian business owner. As such, there will be many posts on Christian Daily that address business issues. Today's the first of many.
I went to a business leads sharing/networking group today. It's a small group here in Crossville, TN. I enjoyed it (and got a free lunch out of the deal). They're modeled after Business Networking International(BNI), but much less expensive ($120 per year compared to $450 which is the last I heard on BNI). I'm considering joining.
As the owner of Bishop's Corner, where I offer catalog and online shopping with over 3,400 products (nearly 850 of them priced $19.95 or less!), I've been working hard to find new customers and grow the business - like everyone else, I guess. Ideally, working with other business owners seems like a good fit. I can offer discounted pricing for store decor and customer or client gifts. Along with the personalized service and guaranteed returns, it's a goof fit for other businesses as well. I'd like to think this networking group could help me make some profitable connections, while allowing me to help other business owners by directing business their way.
What do you think? Do you belong to a similar group? I'd love to hear your thoughts as I struggle with my decision.
I went to a business leads sharing/networking group today. It's a small group here in Crossville, TN. I enjoyed it (and got a free lunch out of the deal). They're modeled after Business Networking International(BNI), but much less expensive ($120 per year compared to $450 which is the last I heard on BNI). I'm considering joining.
As the owner of Bishop's Corner, where I offer catalog and online shopping with over 3,400 products (nearly 850 of them priced $19.95 or less!), I've been working hard to find new customers and grow the business - like everyone else, I guess. Ideally, working with other business owners seems like a good fit. I can offer discounted pricing for store decor and customer or client gifts. Along with the personalized service and guaranteed returns, it's a goof fit for other businesses as well. I'd like to think this networking group could help me make some profitable connections, while allowing me to help other business owners by directing business their way.
What do you think? Do you belong to a similar group? I'd love to hear your thoughts as I struggle with my decision.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Think on Good Things
More and more lately I realize how important it is to my inner peace that I guard my mind against negative thinking. Maybe you don't consider this important, but having been raised in a very negative atmosphere, it's critical to my sanity to think on good things.
My childhood included a lot of name calling and emotional abuse. For a sensitive child who never felt loved, negativity impacted me in profound ways that I didn't understand until many years after I became a Christian. Having been raised to think that it was perfectly normal to argue all the time, to complain and find fault with everything that touched my life, it took a long time for Jesus to rid me of those "demons."
I wanted to be calm, loving, accepting of others. But I found it too easy to slip back into old patterns of negative thought... which led to negative words, and ultimately, negative actions.
By God's grace, I've learned that I have to stop those thoughts in their tracks, so to speak, and quickly change the way I'm thinking--the things I'm saying to myself and allowing to "roll around" in my brain. I have to truly take every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:5) because out of the issues of my heart, my mouth does indeed speak (Proverbs 4:23).
The type of things I choose to think about, good or bad, affect what I say, which in turn, affects how I feel, how I act and more. If I think on good things such as the blessings God has given me, the hope I have in Him and in my life because of Him, the prayers He's answering, and the love that surrounds me, I feel blessed. I feel hopeful. I have faith. And life is good.
If on the other hand, I think on negative things such as my body aches, or my money struggles, or my discouragements and disappointments... then my head hurts, my stomach churns, I get cranky and impatient, and--if I keep it up--depression follows.
WHY would I choose to feel that way?!
Scripture tells us to "think on good things" (Philippians 4:8). There's a reason for that. Our Creator knows how negative thinking affects our lives. I pray our Lord will help me (and you!) to focus on Him and the abundance of blessings He brings into our lives everyday...
• A loving spouse
• A church to love and care for
• Plenty of material blessings
• A warm home
• Good friends
• Sunshine and clouds
• Rain and snow
• Music
• Laughter
• A business I enjoy
• SO much more!
And I trust Him to answer that prayer. Doesn't it make you feel better just reading that short list of the good things He gives us?
My childhood included a lot of name calling and emotional abuse. For a sensitive child who never felt loved, negativity impacted me in profound ways that I didn't understand until many years after I became a Christian. Having been raised to think that it was perfectly normal to argue all the time, to complain and find fault with everything that touched my life, it took a long time for Jesus to rid me of those "demons."
I wanted to be calm, loving, accepting of others. But I found it too easy to slip back into old patterns of negative thought... which led to negative words, and ultimately, negative actions.
By God's grace, I've learned that I have to stop those thoughts in their tracks, so to speak, and quickly change the way I'm thinking--the things I'm saying to myself and allowing to "roll around" in my brain. I have to truly take every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:5) because out of the issues of my heart, my mouth does indeed speak (Proverbs 4:23).
The type of things I choose to think about, good or bad, affect what I say, which in turn, affects how I feel, how I act and more. If I think on good things such as the blessings God has given me, the hope I have in Him and in my life because of Him, the prayers He's answering, and the love that surrounds me, I feel blessed. I feel hopeful. I have faith. And life is good.
If on the other hand, I think on negative things such as my body aches, or my money struggles, or my discouragements and disappointments... then my head hurts, my stomach churns, I get cranky and impatient, and--if I keep it up--depression follows.
WHY would I choose to feel that way?!
Scripture tells us to "think on good things" (Philippians 4:8). There's a reason for that. Our Creator knows how negative thinking affects our lives. I pray our Lord will help me (and you!) to focus on Him and the abundance of blessings He brings into our lives everyday...
• A loving spouse
• A church to love and care for
• Plenty of material blessings
• A warm home
• Good friends
• Sunshine and clouds
• Rain and snow
• Music
• Laughter
• A business I enjoy
• SO much more!
And I trust Him to answer that prayer. Doesn't it make you feel better just reading that short list of the good things He gives us?
Friday, February 1, 2008
Fear of Success
An online Christian friend posted a note on the MomPack YahooGroup about her need for prayer in a new venture. She made the comment that "I think I am afraid of doing well." I know exactly what she means.
For years, I've wrestled with this issue of being a devout Christian and being successful. It's as if there is a mental block that stops me from really pushing myself toward success. As a self-analyst, I think this issue is a two-fold one.
One, we typically equate success with wealth. Yes, we say that money isn't everything. And yes, we say that there is more to being successful than having money. But do we really believe it? How many people can you think of whom you would consider successful who aren't well-off financially? I can't think of any, personally. Well, maybe Mother Theresa, but she was a free-spirit and certainly atypical.
On the other side of this, since we typically equate success with money, we often struggle with the acceptance of our success because of the warning in 1 Timothy 6:10 that "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil."
Christians (and others) have often distorted this verse to mean that money is the root of all evil. But that's not what the Bible says. The scripture states that the love of money is the problem. There is a definite distinction.
When I love money, I put it above everything else. It becomes more important to me than my family, my friends, even my Lord. That's the root of evil. Greed.
But money--in and of itself--is simply a tool. In the proper hands it can do tremendous good. And it fulfills a need by providing for our food, shelter, clothing. Having money to meet our needs is a gift from God. Why do we struggle so hard with this concept?
Maybe we're afraid that having too much money will turn us into the rich man who must pass through the eye of a needle to enter Heaven. I don't know. But I do know that it's okay to succeed.
The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) expresses the Master's desire that we succeed at what He gives us to do. If our success didn't matter, He wouldn't have become upset with the servant who hid his talent in the ground. Success is something to be sought after.
Lord, help us to learn this truth and apply it to our daily Christian walks.
For years, I've wrestled with this issue of being a devout Christian and being successful. It's as if there is a mental block that stops me from really pushing myself toward success. As a self-analyst, I think this issue is a two-fold one.
One, we typically equate success with wealth. Yes, we say that money isn't everything. And yes, we say that there is more to being successful than having money. But do we really believe it? How many people can you think of whom you would consider successful who aren't well-off financially? I can't think of any, personally. Well, maybe Mother Theresa, but she was a free-spirit and certainly atypical.
On the other side of this, since we typically equate success with money, we often struggle with the acceptance of our success because of the warning in 1 Timothy 6:10 that "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil."
Christians (and others) have often distorted this verse to mean that money is the root of all evil. But that's not what the Bible says. The scripture states that the love of money is the problem. There is a definite distinction.
When I love money, I put it above everything else. It becomes more important to me than my family, my friends, even my Lord. That's the root of evil. Greed.
But money--in and of itself--is simply a tool. In the proper hands it can do tremendous good. And it fulfills a need by providing for our food, shelter, clothing. Having money to meet our needs is a gift from God. Why do we struggle so hard with this concept?
Maybe we're afraid that having too much money will turn us into the rich man who must pass through the eye of a needle to enter Heaven. I don't know. But I do know that it's okay to succeed.
The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) expresses the Master's desire that we succeed at what He gives us to do. If our success didn't matter, He wouldn't have become upset with the servant who hid his talent in the ground. Success is something to be sought after.
Lord, help us to learn this truth and apply it to our daily Christian walks.
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