Reaching Out

Starting out.....

Well hello there......I’m glad you came. I'm assuming you're someone that I know.....or someone that my sister knows....or someone that knows a friend.

So what is all this, you ask? Aha! That's just what I'm going to write about. I've been thinking through this whole project (believe it or not, it's big enough to be a project) and have come up with how I'd like to explain what I've got in my head about blogging....my vision if you will. Since there's a good bit of content here (lots of ideas with even more applications), I've decided to split it up into several articles.

In short, I’ll be writing about a new way for Christians to use the internet to encourage and support each other using a tool that addresses the limitations of email and newsletters. However, the one-sentence summary doesn't nearly do the idea justice. Please continue reading.

Part #1 - What is blogging?

Well, the term "blogging" is actually slang for "weblogging" -- as in, the act of maintaining a weblog. So what's a weblog? Well, here's a nice definition courtesy of blogger.com.

Part #2 - Why I thought blogging might be useful for ESL teachers in China & other foreign countries (i.e. my sister).

Take a group of people who have left their friends & families and gone halfway around the world to the most populous country in the world. Spread them out around that country so there's no more than a handful in each city. Now imagine that they have a bond of Christian faith which ties them together beyond being good friends to begin with. They have a lot of people they want to keep in touch with....and a lot of people who want to keep in touch with them.

Part #3 - Why I think blogging could be a wonderful tool for missionaries, pastors & other full-time Christian workers

Obviously, much of the previous article applies here as well and a lot of what I write in this section will cross-apply to part #2. However, I think there are some added dimensions for missionaries, pastors & other full-time Christian workers. Actually, blogging as a tool for full-time Christian workers was the idea that sparked the creation of what you see here today.

Part #4 - Giving back....

Computers are a huge part of my life. I'm a network engineer by day and oddly enough, to relax I play with a lot of the same stuff that I get paid to do during the day. The lines between work and play are very fuzzy for me. I enjoy setting up stuff like......oh say.....weblog systems.

Along with that, I love the possibilities behind online communication and collaboration, such as online forums, instant messaging, email discussion lists, and last but not least, weblogs.

I'll admit....I'm like the guy who found a really neat hammer and then started looking for nails afterwards. I love the idea of weblogs & personal web publishing....and as you can see from the previous sections, I think I've found a very legitimate use for them within Christian circles.

Fully functional demonstration.

Someone recently wrote question whether weblogging is as easy as I make it sound. Try it for yourself. I've set up a fully functional demonstration weblog that anyone can post to.

http://weblog.andriven.com/demo/

So you'd like to try it yourself?

Let's say that you've read the articles above, tried out the Demonstration Weblog and now you'd actually like to do this yourself! My hat is off to you for being brave enough to try a new (and hopefully worthwhile) method of communication.

Well, if you're a missionary (open country), "Word spreader" (closed country) or involved in full-time Christian service in some way, here's what you need to do.

Update: I'm afraid that due to various circumstances I am not currently able to create new weblogs. For a very good weblog experience, I would recommend TypePad + a custom domain (not free but it's a very good service & using TypePad + a custom domain will keep your weblog from getting caught by most web filters).

Bite-size - 15 Tips

I'd hoped to write up a detailed tutorial with screenshots so that anyone could use some of the cool features of Movable Type (that might not be obvious to non-inquisitive people). However, I've realized that 1) I don't have that much time and 2) a lot of people might be scared off by something so long. So I've taken a more manageable approach -- writing "tips".

If you have any suggestions for improvement on the existing tips or ideas for new tips, please post a comment.

Tip #00 - Basic blogging tips
Tip #01 - Sticky Post
Tip #02 - Editing Posts
Tip #03 - Extended Entry
Tip #04 - Juno (people w/out web access)
Tip #05 - Regularity
Tip #06 - I don't like reading web pages.
Tip #07 - Security
Tip #08 - Email Notifications (Updated)
Tip #09 - Editing Comments
Tip #10 - Time Travel
Tip #11 - Too many emails?
Tip #12 - Defining Success
Tip #13 - Come read my new weblog! (canned email)
Tip #14 - Personal Sidebar Links
Tip #15 - Categories
Tip #16 - Uploading Pictures