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I especially like #2. I've been in too many brainstorming sessions where none of us came with ideas and it doesn't help to get things going. I definitely plan on implementing this idea next time ;).
Brainstorming Reloaded
If you are involved in the creative or communications world you've probably been involved in brainstorming sessions to generate ideas/fresh angles on ideas. Here is a fresh take on getting the best out of brainstorming. It's a great article from PSYBlog called 'Brainstorming Reloaded'. My mai...
This makes so much sense to me. Would you say that KissMetrics's investments so far serve as a good example? It appears so. http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/22/kissmetrics-conversion-funnel/
Thanks for the insight and laughs!
MoneyBall for Startups: Invest BEFORE Product/Market Fit, Double-Down AFTER.
My apologies... this is a long piece (~2500 words). Not for the faint of heart. If you want the short story, read the abstract below & 3 core assertions, then cut to the conclusions at the bottom. Abstract: VC funds are getting smaller (good), & angel investors are growing (also good), but bot...
Always an interesting conversation...whether or not an organization can rely solely on Facebook as a communication tool. We've had multiple posts on this topic over on the MemberHub blob http://blog.memberhub.com/tag/facebook/ (scroll down for the more relevant posts) While some churches could make FB work, others simply cannot rely on it because not everyone's on FB.
Perhaps the more interesting conversation that this brings up is What IS a ChMS? I hope to be sharing more thoughts on this soon.
Thanks for everything you're doing Tony to help further cause of helping churches find the "right" software!
Can Facebook be a ChMS?
That's not a facetious question! I’ve visited with a few smaller churches of late (<200 TWA) and they don’t use any typical church management systems. Two have said, with all seriousness, that Facebook is all they need (except for contribution processing). Maybe that age old discussion of ChMS ...
Thanks for this Gordon. Yes, I always try to be sensitive with wording and I completely understand your points here. What I meant to suggest was that a business entrepreneur has a lot in common with a pastor that's trying to start a new church. The daily challenges of making decisions and the ups and downs of a startup are common to any new venture. So perhaps I read into your comment what I wanted to hear :).
That being said I second your notion of excellence!!! It's not just about throwing more money at the IT budget. It's about being committed to using the RIGHT technology for your church. Knowing what's out there and forming relationships with vendors and taking the time to understand what can be accomplished. I desperately want to be part of a community or cause whose aim is to foster this excellence.
Wheels are turning...
The ChMS Market
Where is the market for ChMS products? Big thanks to Curtis Simmons of Fellowship Technologies for sharing some data on the US Church market. Curtis was quick to point out that these aren't necessarily scientifically calculated numbers, but several sources have corroborated that the numbers m...
I'm for this too. Perhaps we need to find someone that's connected with ccmag so we can find out if would they allow us to put an article or series of articles in their magazine. And we also need to find out about their readers. You would assume that someone that reads a magazine with that title would actually be using software. I am definitely interested in writing some articles and forming some plans around this.
I'm also interested in this from Gordon's angle of running a church just like a business. As an entrepreneur, I have a lot in common with a church planter for example. That's why I'm trying to get involved with the Exponential Network. By the way is anyone on this thread going to be there? I'll be there Wednesday evening and Thursday. I'd love to meet up.
The ChMS Market
Where is the market for ChMS products? Big thanks to Curtis Simmons of Fellowship Technologies for sharing some data on the US Church market. Curtis was quick to point out that these aren't necessarily scientifically calculated numbers, but several sources have corroborated that the numbers m...
Another question is how many quality, profitable, viable ChMS exist that currently have a solution that fits the single pastor church? If there are some out there, which clearly there are, is this "small church market" supporting it? It seems like it's not. In other words, they aren't using ChMS solutions. Can that be changed? Should it be?
What *is* the publication that you're referring to? Does it exist or not :O)? I don't know.
The ChMS Market
Where is the market for ChMS products? Big thanks to Curtis Simmons of Fellowship Technologies for sharing some data on the US Church market. Curtis was quick to point out that these aren't necessarily scientifically calculated numbers, but several sources have corroborated that the numbers m...
Tony, thanks for mentioning MemberHub in your list here. Your quest for good ChMS information is invigorating :).
Church Management Notes
I'm still, slowly, gathering notes from the ChMS Survey I'm conducting (your input would be appreciated!). Perhaps the first thing I'm learning in this survey is that there aren't many people willing to spend much time telling you what they use. However, ironically, those people I do talk with...
Geoff, you are a funny...but you know that. I echo the comments of some of the others that the key is to not be forced. It should be a natural God-led thing for folks to find themselves trusting and opening up to a core group of believers that can walk with them. I also think it has a lot to do with location. If you look closely it's amazing how much you have in common with the folks that live right around you. Wouldn't it be great if we could all have small groups with are actual neighbors. Then we could use those walkie talkies to listen for our kids crying from a couple of houses away while we listen to gout boy.
Why Small Groups Don't Work (Part 1)
I am a strong believer in small groups. I am not sure I could live the life I was created for without the context of a small group of Christian friends doing life together. Connecting with a group of people over months and years; praying with each other through tragedies, celebrating the big m...
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Feb 10, 2010
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