Archive for the ‘Blogging’ Category

We want to see your smiling face!

Posted on: September 15th, 2011 by admin 6 Comments

Hopefully you’ve noticed that on the www.nazareneblogs.org homepage we now have a list of recent posts that show an avatar next to the post. An avatar is just an image that is associated with the person who wrote that post. Avatars also show next to comments posted by registered users. We’d love to have everyone set up an avatar image. There are several places you can set up an avatar, but below I am going to show you how to do it through Gravatar.

Step # 1: Sign up for your Gravatar account.

Signup at http://www.gravatar.com. All you need is your email address! Use the same email address you used to create your nazareneblog account. You will then receive a confirmation email including a link that will activate your Gravatar account and allow you to set your password.


Step # 2: Set up a password.

Click on the link in the confirmation email. You will then be taken to a page where you will be asked to type in your password. Set your password.


Step # 3: Upload a picture, set up your Gravatar

You are now told you have no gravatar. Click on Add a new one. You can choose and upload this image from your computers hard drive, from the internet somewhere or use a webcam to capture a new photo. The picture can be anything you like.


Step # 4: Crop your picture and set up a rating for your picture.

Yes, you get to set a rating for the picture you just uploaded as G, PG, R or X rated. X rated means you uploaded an inappropriate picture. We’ll ask that all bloggers here go ahead and use a G rated picture. Thanks
:)


Step # 5: Associate your Gravatar with your Email address

This is the last step. Once the image is uploaded click on it and click confirm to associate that picture with the email address you signed up with. Once done you are all set. As long as you are logged in, any blog post or comment you post on another blog will show your Gravatar.

-special thanks to our blog technical crew for writing these instructions-

Blog Analytics

Posted on: September 7th, 2010 by admin 3 Comments

Google Analytics is the free stats tracking system supplied by Google and produces very attractive (and comprehensive) stats. You can now use it on your NazareneBlogs account if you would like information such as how many people view your blog.

Here’s how -

  1. Sign in to your NazareneBlogs account and select the Settings link on the upper right side.
  2. Then Select the Google Analytics link.
  3. In another window/tab sign up for a Google Analytics account using your blog URL.
  4. When you finish, copy the tracking code (it’ll start with ‘UA-’) into the Tracking Code box on your blog settings page and press ‘Save’*

For more information on finding the tracking code, please visit this Google help site.
*It can take several hours before you see any stats.

Doing ministry on the Internet

Posted on: August 20th, 2010 by admin 1 Comment

globeIt’s not as though I heard a Voice or had a vision but almost 15 years ago even as I excitedly began exploring the Internet on my Windows 95 machine I sensed the Lord directing me to do ministry on the Internet. At that time, I wasn’t sure what that meant, but (being a tech kind of guy) that was fine with me. Since that day I’ve designed websites for myself and other ministries, learned a little about site administration, and involved myself in the fellowship ministry of NazNet. I think, though, that one of the most rewarding Internet ministries for me has been blogging. My wife tells me that the last thing (not counting root canals, etc) she’d ever want to do would be to write something every day. I’ve noted that other folks see blogging as a chance to let off some steam and even enjoy having some sort of alter ego. I’m not being critical of them, but for me, blogging is a chance to speak to people I might never encounter otherwise. Everyday, or more likely, every minute, someone somewhere is typing into the Google search box, “How can I find God?” or “How can I save my marriage?” If my blogging can play even a small role in helping someone find answers to big questions like that I’ll feel I’ve been obedient to my call to Internet ministry. I’ve seen some fine ministry efforts here on NazareneBlogs.org and want to commend those who are part of this online community endeavoring to minister through blogging.

Nazarene Blogs Get New Homepage

Posted on: August 19th, 2010 by admin 1 Comment

change signThe Nazarene Blogs environment has been active on Nazarene.org since January of 2009.  In that time the environment has grown continually.  With more blogs in the community, it has gotten harder and harder to keep track of new blogs and new posts. So to try and help, we recently launched a new homepage that shows the newest posts, a featured post and some other new features.  Please visit Nazarene Blogs and see the new homepage.  We hope you will find it helpful.  There is still space for more bloggers.  Feel free to read the terms of service and sign up for a blog of your own!

12 Blogging Ideas

Posted on: August 7th, 2009 by admin No Comments

Here are 12 Blogging topic inspiring ideas I found on the onlinejournalismblog.

  1. Respond to something elsewhere on the web
  2. Suggest an idea
  3. Interview someone
  4. Blog an event
  5. Ask a question
  6. Pick a fight
  7. Reflect on something
  8. Do something visual (photos, videos…)
  9. Review something
  10. Make a list (hmm – that’s a good idea :) )
  11. Write a how-to (another good idea)
  12. Let someone else post

I hope this might spark some good topic ideas – make sure to check out the original for more in depth about each one of the ideas.

NazareneBlogs Navigation

Posted on: July 24th, 2009 by admin No Comments

We made some changes to the navigation buttons at the top of the page on NazareneBlogs.

In addition to adding links to the Nazarene Homepage and the Nazarene MediaLibrary, we modified the contents of the “read” button page. Now when you click “read” you will see a list of blogs broken down into categories. We did this to try and direct people to blogs that might have content that interests them.
The categories are:

  • Global Ministry Center
  • Pastoral/Leadership
  • Theological/Devotional
  • Multicultural
  • Church
  • Journal
  • Communication/Technology
  • Miscellaneous

We felt like the full list was getting a little overwhelming. If you would like to see all the blogs click “view all blogs” at the top of the page.

Hopefully now your blog will be read by more people, and everyone will be finding more blogs with content that interests them.

Thanks,

-DH-

Blogs must wait on authentication before being finalized

Posted on: January 13th, 2009 by admin 2 Comments

A main reason for starting Nazarene Blogs is to solicit a particular point of view: Those who want to extend their faith journey into the blogosphere in ways that build, connect, and uplift Christ and the Church (particularly the Church of the Nazarene). Sure, there are many legitimate reasons for starting all types of blogs, but this online community wants to, in the words of that old Bing Crosby song, “Accentuate the positive.” In other words, we want to focus on what builds up and is redemptive, not what tears down and is negative. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for truth-telling or criticism related in the right spirit, but the overall motivation is to honor Christ.

Recently, we’ve had a person or two–either as a joke or with malicious intent–try to initiate a blog of questionable character. As a result, our tech team has decided not to allow a blog to immediately post live, but go through an authentication process. We don’t think this will add much time to the process, but we do think it will help us avoid posting a blog that’s not in keeping with our purpose for the blogging community. Thanks for your understanding. If you have any questions about this, feel free to email me at blogs@nazarene.org.

Blogging—An affordable way to offer online hospitality

Posted on: December 11th, 2008 by admin No Comments

Few words sound stranger to the ear than blog. One friend, after first hearing the term, thought it was part of a title to a grade B science fiction film (like “the blog from outer space”). Most of us now know that blogging is part of a revolution in communication that has put the power of publishing in the hands of anyone with a computer and an internet connection. Rather than a one-way recitation, blogs also create the capacity for comment and conversation in ways that build trust and connectedness with others.

Now, church leaders are using blogs to tell their story, share expertise, and relate to others about faith issues. Blogging presents an affordable and powerful opportunity for churches to connect with others at an unprecedented level. Brian Bailey, web director at Fellowship Church, says that blogging is simply “online hospitality—opening your door, inviting people inside, and sharing stories.”

Nazarene Blogs allow any pastor church leader the ability to create a free professional-looking blog online within minutes. By signing up, you are able to choose any one of a number of themes/templates (some which are Nazarene or ministry-based).