MinistryTech Online

MINISTRY TECHNOLOGIES

This site will serve as the syllabus page for this course. This course is a study of technologies that can be utilized in ministry. Emphasis will be placed on leveraging skills to assist in Bible study, sermon preparation, outreach and communications.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Student can use social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc…) tools to develop an online audience and expand their preaching ministry through that audience.
• Student understands various audiences that will visit a church website and what best serves those audiences.
• Student understands basic visual communications principles and can apply them to their sermons and Bible class materials using presentation software.
• Student can demonstrate proficiency in using the Logos Bible Software in doing exegetical Bible study, research and sermon preparation
• Student can build a basic blog and post articles and images to that blog to support their ministry and teaching.
• Student can explain how these tools can be leveraged in a “permission” based approach to evangelism.

ASSIGNMENTS

MINISTRY BLOG
The student will write and post seven (7) articles to a blog they create. These posts need to be spiritually encouraging, biblically sound and help people in their knowledge of God and His word.

• Student will start a blog using WordPress or Blogger.
• Student is expected to post at least one post each week of the quarter starting in week 2 (7 Total)
• Each post must be online by midnight Thursday of each week with a hardcopy (MLA format) emailed to the instructor. NO LATE POSTS WILL BE GRADED.
• Each post should be no less than 100 and no more than 400 words.
• Four (4) of the posts must include an image, photo or graphic
• Posts will be graded on:

1. Grammar - Posts must use proper grammar, spelling and sentence structure in order to present a professional, knowledgeable appearence
2. Readability – Blog posts are not research papers. Good blogs tend to have a more “conversational” writing style to them, posts should should be easy to read (do not use inflated language). Posts should be long enough to express your thoughts, but not so long that they take a long time to read them.
3. Spiritual Application – Your blog should not just encourage “forgetful hearing” but should help your audience be “doers of the word” (James 1:22). Help them make application to their lives – that is what will make them want to share your posts with others and come back to read more.
4. Attitude – Posts should not always teach “against” some false doctrine of position. If you want to build readership you need to encourage, uplift and strengthen. Negative teaching will severely limit your ability to grow your audience. If they stop listening you can’t teach them.

FACEBOOK
Each student is to start a Facebook profile to begin using social media to teach and encourage people.

• Student must have or start their own Facebook profile (no sharing a spouses – you need one of your own).
• Each student is to update their status at least once each day with a spiritual encouragement or Bible passage.
• Each student must add 100 NEW friends to their Facebook account during the quarter. Student must email the instructor with their total number of friends as of the first day of class.
• This assignment is an encouragement to engage your social network audience, but is not an encouragement to spend hours each day chatting and posting on Facebook. Check it daily – post daily and get out.

TWITTER
A Twitter account is NOT required for this class, but the instructor will be posting article links and even some special tips and hints throughout the quarter on Twitter. While it is not required, you may find it helpful.

QUIZZES
There will be 4 pop quizzes given during the first half of the quarter. These quizzes will cover specific sections just covered. The instructor may (or may not) post hints or info on his Facebook page, blog, or Twitter account.

SERMON PRESENTATION
The student will prepare a sermon or Bible class presentation (using PowerPoint, Keynote, etc…) using information presented in class. This assignment will be due AFTER we have covered the presentation section of the course.

• Student can use an existing sermon or start from scratch.
• Principles from the class must be applied to the presentation
• Student will present 5 minutes of the presentation in class
• Presentation will be evaluated by the students of the class as well as the instructor

MID-TERM EXAM
The Mid-term exam will cover the technology section of the course. The instructor may post some help files on Facebook and Twitter prior to the exam (so it will pay to follow my tweets and Facebook status).

LOGOS WORKSHEETS
There will be 4 Logos worksheets that will reinforce aspects of the software we cover in class. More information will be provided during the Logos portion of the course.

FINAL EXAM
The Final Exam will cover the Logos Bible Software portion of the course. This test will be an “open software” exam. Problems and questions will be presented that must be answered using the tools and reports within the Logos Bible Software. The instructor may post some help files on Facebook and Twitter prior to the exam (so it will pay to follow my tweets and Facebook status).

RECOMMENDED READING

There are no required textbooks for this course but I strongly recommend the following reading:

WIRED FOR MINISTRY
by John P. Jewell

This book provides insight into why technology should be used for ministry but also what problems technology can present. While it suggests some technology use in worship that I would object to from a biblical standpoint, Jewell’s book helps to begin a dialogue of how technology can help in ministry.

HIGH-TECH WORSHIP: Using Presentational Technologies Wisely
by Quentin J. Schultze

While we certainly would not accept some ideas in this book as biblically authorized, there are other ideas that could be of value here.

PRESENTATION ZEN
by Garr Reynolds

This book is an excellent resource to help anyone giving presentations with PowerPoint (or other software) make those presentations more effective. This is NOT a software instruction manual for PowerPoint, but rather provides visual communication concepts to help with color, type and working with images. If you want to make better presentations – this book is a MUST READ.

PRESENTATION ZEN: DESIGN
by Garr Reynolds

This book follows PRESENTATION ZEN with more of a visual design component. This books deals very specifically with the issues related to designing your slide for better communication. Where his first book deals with general concepts of type and color and imagery, PRESENTATION ZEN: DESIGN gets to the specifics. What typefaces should you use and why? What color combinations work best? All of these questions are answered in this book.

SLIDE:OLOGY
by Nancy Duarte

MADE TO STICK
by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

The Heath brothers’ book is a great resource to help you craft your message and visual presentation so that it will stick in the minds of your audience. While not all of their suggestions apply to sermons and Bible classes, many of them can and should be applied when they fit.