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Here’s our top posts of 2011 based upon traffic and comments:

1.  -Top Christian Blogs Fall 2011

2.  -What is Google ‘Panda’ Looking For?

3.  -Ten Common Grammar Errors That Plague The Web

4.  -10 Online Behaviors That Christians Should Avoid

5.  -St. Pixels, New Online 3D Church on Facebook

6.  -Re: The New Google +1 Button

7.  -The Importance and Effects of Colors

8.  -Responding in Love to Difficult Comments

9.  -After 5 Years of Blogging Here’s What I’ve learned

10.  -The Digital Reformation: The Internet is Bringing a Paradigm Shift in Evangelism

Related Posts?:

1. -Top Christian Blogs Fall 2011
2. -The Pope Gives Good Advise for Christians Online

With the new year, many want to improve their lives in 2012. One of the best ways to do that is to read the Bible daily in the new year.

Several polls taken during the last year have unfortunately demonstrated that American Christians are somewhat illiterate when it comes to the Bible and particularly Biblical teachings. One good way to reverse the trend is to set aside time to read the good book everyday. An excellent idea is to read through the whole Bible or at least the New Testament during 2011. There are a number of good programs to help you in the process.

One of the easiest ways to get it done is to get a ‘One Year Bible’ where the whole year is divided up into daily readings usually with a selection from the New Testament, the Old Testament, and from Psalms. You can even get it in your favorite version at the book store or at Amazon.

If you find that reading all of it in one year is maybe too much, then you could read just the New Testament and Psalm offerings for each day and then maybe save the Old Testament or the following year (or visa versa).

There are also a number of good plans available that allow you to use your regular Bible for the reading. Here’s a few online: The One year Bible Online, Bible Year-eSword, Bible Gateway

You could also get the Bible on CD or tape and listen to it on the way to work this year or download it into your iPod, iPhone or MP3: iTunes, Apps me now

There are lots more Bible helps available just search online.

May God Bless us all in 2012.               *Top

Related Posts?:

1. Why Blogging? -A Bible Study Example
2. Setting Up a Bible Study Blog

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Most of the time holidays are a one day or a weekend at best affair but Christmas is an entire season that spans nearly a whole month. Plus it is a natural for Christian bloggers since the whole reason for the season revolves around the birth of Jesus Christ.

When it comes to blogging and bearing one’s testimony the opportunities provided by this holiday are far and beyond any other time of the year. First of all, nearly everyone is participating in the season in some form or another- believer and non-believer.So the interest is high and there are lots of things to blog about. The following are just a few suggestions.

What to Blog About

1. About your shopping experiences

2. About all of the hectic pressures of the season.

3. About how your family and extended family responds to one another.

4. About family traditions and how your family celebrates.

5. About what Christmas really means to you.

6. About how your faith matters during this time.

7. About the central message of the season and the birth of Jesus Christ.

8. About the events at your church.

9. About Christmas outreaches to those in need.

10. About your daily activities related to the season.

The Christmas season is a rich time of the year when it comes to touching others and your blog or website can touch people in ways that are not really possible any other time of the year. To see what I mean, all you have to do is view some of the traditional Christmas movies that are shown year after year during this season.

Folks are open to good stories and good news and there is nothing better for that then the coming of Jesus Christ as a baby. Now’s the time to tell them why Jesus came, why God sent his Son, and why that should mean something to everyone.            *Top

The invention of the printing press brought with it revolutionary changes in communicating the Gospel and spreading Christianity around the World. It made it possible for Bibles to be mass produced and available to regular folks. Since then the Bible has been translated into thousands of different languages.

In fact some Bibles associations are forecasting that the New testament at least may be available in every language there is around the world within 10 years or so making it possible for the Gospel to potentially go to every nation. Incredible.

Now in this generation we are also going through a comparable paradigm shift with the dawn of the Internet and the mass availability of computers but especially smart phones even in 3rd world countries. It is making the Bible accessible to folks in every country, even in places where missionaries and the Gospel are officially forbidden to go.

There are numerous sites right now on the Internet where the Bible is available in literally hundreds of different languages. Plus sound Christian teaching and Bible studies on thousands of different sites may be easily accessible with an iphone or Blackberry.

This is a major game changer, especially when it comes to evangelism.

Here’s a great article that explores the positive aspects and full potential of digital evangelism compared to the limitations of printed material:

“Are electrons better than dead trees?”               *Top

Here’s a link to ChurchRelevance’s List: Top 200 Church Blogs for Fall 2011

Top 10:

1. Between Two Worlds

2. Michael Hyatt

3. DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed

4. GetReligion

5. Tim Challies

6. Dr. Albert Mohler

7. Jesus Creed

8. The Resurgence

9. Pyromaniacs

10. Fr. Z’s Blog

<Rest of the list 11-200>

Take a look at the Top 10 and see what the best of the best most successful Christian blogs look like. Then take a look at the bottom of the list which are also great. I guarantee you’ll learn something in the process.

One can always disagree with the criteria used to come up with this list but not that these are all great blogs and great examples to take a look at and learn from. That’s why I have it linked here as a learning tool for those of us who would like to improve our sites and take them to another level.            *Top

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Practically everyone and everything demands an email address from you these days. Purchase flowers online, book a room or a flight, to access a news site, set up a blog, join a social network, download a new program, leave a comment on a website, or keep in touch with family or friends. Any or all demand your email address.

There was a time when I had just one but now I have multiple email addresses for a multitude of uses and reasons. First of all I found it necessary just to keep up with it all. I compartmentalized my e-life with a separate email addresses for the following:

1. Personal

Friends and family are the only ones with access to this one. Plus a few key financial ties.

2. Business

This one is for work only.

3. Blogs

I have a separate address for each one of my blogs.

4. Social Networks

A separate address for each one. Imperative to keep on top of it all.

5. Ministry

A separate address for use at church and in ministry.

6. False Flag

A ‘throwaway’ address to give when demanded but care less about and don’t want to be bothered.

Here’s a tip for keeping track of it all.

I have nearly a dozen on Gmail alone that I can access and check up on going to just one log-in site: gmail.com. It really doesn’t take that long and is much easier than working with 2 or 3 different addresses like I use too and having to wade through all sorts of unrelated junk mail and spam.

At least now I can determine where everything is coming from a whole lot easier than I use to. Plus I can more readily find what’s really important.    

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The Barna Group has completed a new study showing something that all of us directly experience- that families are more technology and media dependent than ever.

They conclude that modern families by and large are negligent in applying concepts of Biblical stewardship to how much of their time is spent online, watching TV, and on various digital devices.

Also, nearly all of those surveyed say that they have never received any kind of teaching at their church concerning how they can be good stewards of media, entertainment or technology.

The study also shows something you might not expect that parents are nearly as involved with tech as their children and teenagers. Not only that, but by nearly a two-to-one ratio, parents think of technology as actually making their family life better rather than worse.

Barna Group president David Kinnaman draws the following conclusions from their research:

“Technology is shaping family interactions in unprecedented ways, but we seem to lack a strategic commitment to the stewardship of technology. Parents, tweens and teens need more coaching and input in order to face the countless choices they make regarding how technology affects their attention, interests, talents and resources.”

Response: It is interesting that churches have substantially ignored this growing situation among modern families in America. Again, technology seems to be dividing the generations with each doing their own techno thing.

My own family is not that much different. I’m on the computer right now writing this article while my wife is in the same room watching TV. Earlier I was watching TV and she was transferring family pictures on the computer to an online account, checking her Facebook site and playing Farmville. Not to mention that the grandkids were here today playing video games and the oldest one, 13, was texting his friends while listening to his ipod and watching TV at the same time.

Nothing like it was in the 50′s when I was a kid and the entire family gathered together around the TV.  All the social commentators and preachers at the time said that TV was ruining the American family. At least we were all in the same room together watching the same show. Plus there was even time for short conversations during the commercials.              *Top

The organizers of the day offer more than 20 eBooks for free plus lots of other resources on doing ministry on the Internet.

The titles include:

• NetCasters: Using the Internet to Make Fishers of Men by Craig von Buseck
• God Space: where spiritual conversations happen naturally by Doug Pollock
• Effective Church Websites for Emerging Generations by Frank Johnson
• Several books by church communications trainer Yvon Prehn

Check out the full list here: Free Internet Evangelism Day Books

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Integrity and credibility are two issues that everyone online are going to be involved with one way or another. Whether you are writing a blog, publishing a website, or just reading and commenting. For the Christian blogger or social networker it should be absolutely crucial and obvious.

We really should be asking ourselves before we hit the ‘publish’ or ‘send’ button –How will this reflect upon who I say I am. If I am presenting myself as a Christian does it reflect favorably on Christianity or the church? Is this article, comment, or observation really reflective of what I want to do and be Online?

After all, if your sites are any thing like mine, folks from nearly every country on the face of the earth and from nearly every culture and religion have stopped by and visited one time or another. If you are styled as some kind of ‘Christian’ site does it reflect the testimony that you would like to bare to the world?

Interesting enough, I have been mistreated, badmouthed, slimed, and berated far more often by fellow Christians than by any secular or foreign folks I may dialogue with.

Can’t tell you how many times a day my busiest blog is actually ‘spammed’ by other Christians who drop in links to their site or articles of their own in the comment line and wonder why they never see the light of day on my blog.  It would be one thing if it was an actual response to the article but it seldom is. Maybe some keyword in the article triggers it all. Amazing!

What are they thinking?

Then there is those occasions where I find that entire articles have been lifted off my blog and find their way onto another ‘Christian’ website with no attribution at all. Where is the Integrity there. It is somewhat flattering in a backhanded way. I have actually had a brother respond rather indignantly to the suggestion that it should be at least attributed or linked.

Then there are those sites that slander famous pastors and preachers. There’s an incredible mega-church 3 blocks from my house in Lake Forest. I am utterly amazed how many sites and articles that I have run across on the web libeling and obviously misquoting and taking that famous pastor entirely out of context. It is ridiculous. If he had said a tenth of what is attributed to him he would have been kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention long time ago.

Also don’t bother commenting on a site like that and trying to correct some of the ‘misquotes’ that you know the truth about. Those folks don’t really seem to want the truth and actually resent it.

Sometimes I wonder what some Muslim from Yemen or Buddhist from India must think about reading sites where Christians are battling over dirty laundry. A negative testimony for sure?

Point is, we really should be more careful Online and reflect the integrity and the credibility of our faith. Since we are reaching a global audience we should be more aware of that reality and how it reflects upon Christianity and our Lord.

Pope Benedict recently issued some good advise for Christians online. It was addressed to Catholics but it is right on target for all Christians involved in any kind of Internet ministry:

"We must be aware that the truth which we long to share does not derive its worth from its ‘popularity’ or from the amount of attention it receives. The proclamation of the Gospel requires a communication which is at once respectful and sensitive."

"There exists a Christian way of communication which is honest and open, responsible and respectful of others. To proclaim the Gospel through the new media means not only to insert expressly religious content into different media platforms, but also to witness consistently, in one’s own digital profile and in the way one communicates choices, preference and judgments that are fully consistent with the Gospel."

Response: The Pope is said to be techno challenged but under his leadership the Vatican has begun to enter the digital age and update everything that they are doing online.            *Top