Bible App for iPhone
A couple of days ago the folks at YouVersion.com updated their Bible application for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
With my subscription to Laridian’s web-based Bible service expiring soon, I’ve started looking for alternatives. I like what Laridian offers: it’s full-featured, powerful, and includes previously purchased Bible translations so I’ve never had to re-purchase something I paid for while using my Palm PDA. But Laridian’s service has one caveat, it’s a web application that requires Mobile Safari. As great of a job as Laridian has done (I don’t want to make it sound like their product isn’t any good, it is), for my use I found it too slow and cumbersome. Especially considering I don’t have a data plan with my iPhone so I need to be near a wifi hot spot to use it.
The Bible app from YouVersion is available from the iTunes App Store and features a plethora of translations, including popular ones such as the NIV, NKJV, The Message, and the NLT.
Until Wednesday’s update the Bible app required an Internet connection (cellular data or wifi). The latest update removes this handicap and now features the ability to store several translation offline.
Considering the application is free, user-friendly, and fast it’s a tough product to compete with. The application does lack a couple of things that would come in handy. The ability to create bookmarks for one. Still, based on the frequency YouVersion updates this product, I have no doubt features like this will appear down the road.
The Bible app is a free download [iTunes link] for iPhone and iPod Touch users and I highly recommend it.
Why every church should have a web site
For some people this may be a point of contention. For me it seems like a no-brainer: Every church should have a web site.
Nay-sayers would contest that church web sites do little to reach unchurched individuals or those not following Christ. Those individuals are, after all, not looking for a church; so why would they look for a church’s web site or even care about what’s on it?
Good point.
Except that those individuals are not looking for a church, so why would they care to hear about our faith in person, either? Because it is not a question of people asking, nor is it about forcing the information on people, it’s about making it known.
The key is understanding the time in which we live. Today is a day of information. More and more people are turning to the Internet when they have questions. While I will certainly not disagree in the least that the Internet does little to foster deep relationships, it does have several advantages.
1. Increased communication.
The Internet sacrifices “connectivity” for communication. That may seem like a contradiction since we have to be connected to be online, but I mean it sacrifices the essence of people connecting with one another on a personal level for the sake of improving the ability to relay raw information from one person or source to another.
Businesses nowadays are virtually incapable of functioning or increasing productivity without e-mail or internal web sites. The same is true for people in the church and outside of it. There is a certain disarming quality about the Internet. Because we are less connected we are more apt to receive information and provide it without fear of reprisal.
2. Everything is optional.
Well, almost. Our faith and core doctrines are certainly not open for negotiation, but the advantage here is that people are not being force-fed information they don’t want. There is a saying in Christian circles, “Be a witness for Christ. If necessary use words.” It sounds nice, but in reality, not very Biblical. Christ called us to preach the Gospel as well as live it. There is a balance and believe me, it is a very fine line at times; yet something we must learn to walk.
All of us have probably lost count of how many people have been turned off of God because of over-zealous Christians who cared more about their personal tally of “saved” individuals than they did about changed lives. The Internet makes this balancing act significantly easier because the information is always there on an as-needed basis. A person genuinely seeking to learn more about a relationship with Christ can find a place where he or she can learn in doses that are manageable for him or her personally.
3. It’s practical.
Really. A church web site provides some really simple information that was once only available in the Yellow Pages.
4. A hammer is a hammer.
The Internet is a tool, just like a hammer. It can be used for purposes that benefit the Kingdom of God or for purposes that stand against it. History has shown that God moves in ways that are relevant to both the culture and generation of the day. Today that includes the Internet.
Whether a church decides to update the information on their web site daily or just once in a while, having a presence on the Internet takes advantage of another tool that can help further the plans and purposes of God.
I say this because it is important for church leaders to recognize that being current with the times makes them relevant to the generation of the times, and that is a pivotal first step to actually reaching people’s hearts and drawing them into a relationship with God through Christ.
If a young teenager is struggling he or she is likely to post their struggle on MySpace or Facebook. Because teens embrace increased communication (see Point #1 above) they have a tendency to be more open and forthright on blogs, social network sites and through instant messaging. Believe it or not, this is a very untapped resource for church leaders! In as much as open and forthrightness can be a negative element (teenage rivalry is a good example) it can also be a very positive element: Teens will open up to youth pastors and others who are willing to listen. This is a key point we must never forget. Youth will open up to others who are willing to listen; almost without regard to the listener’s beliefs, or intentions. In other words, if you don’t listen and speak into their lives, someone will–and that could be life-changing.
5. It’s relevant.
Teenagers, 20- and 30-somethings are more likely to rely on the Internet if they ever want to find a church. For that matter, they are more likely to rely on the Internet if they are even remotely curious about God, Jesus or a local church. Therefore, if God is moving in the heart of an individual in your city or community, you owe it to that person to make yourself as available as possible.
The reality is that people will visit your web site before they visit your church.
6. And more…
I could go on but I want to quickly establish a few points from a slightly different perspective. That being, church web sites are beneficial for people in your church. With a web site you can:
- Provide members and visitors a central place for communication.
- Post a calendar of events.
- Save money by e-mailing your church bulletin every week instead of printing it (and who doesn’t want to save money?).
- Have a form for people to submit prayer requests.
- Put your weekly sermons/messages online for people that either missed a service or are curious about your church’s style.
- Share your church’s vision and passion.
- Share your staffs’ functions, interests and hobbies.
The list goes on and my goal is not to be exhaustive but to stir up an interest in the possibilities and value behind having a church web site.
To wrap-up I want to add that it does not have to cost a lot of money nor take a lot of time to have a web site. Post in the comments if you have questions about getting started or want to share your thoughts.
“In a world” ringtone
Voiceover artist Beau Weaver–you’ve probably heard him in movie trailers that begin with, “In a world…”–has put together a fantastically hilarious ringtone in the same vein as the movie trailers.
You can get the ringtone right from his site here.
WordPress app for iPhone
The fantastic folks at WordPress have just released an application for iPhone and iPod Touch users. The new application, appropriately named WordPress, is now available (iTunes link) as a free download from the new iTunes App Store.
I just installed the 0.3MB program on my iPhone and it works as advertised: easily allowing me to write and manage posts on my WordPress blog. The feature I appreciate most is the use of a Local Drafts folder. I don’t have a data plan for my iPhone, so while I’m out and about I can take a picture or start a post and have it stored locally on my iPhone. Once I’m near a wifi hotspot I can publish the post with ease.
The application also features options to include pictures (taken live from the camera or those already stored in the Photos application), set categories and tags, control the post status (Draft, Private, Published, etc.) and more. It even includes an option to preview the post as it would appear on your blog.
There are a few quirks that I’m sure will get addressed in the future. It would certainly be nice to be able to view published posts without having to go into the Edit screen, for instance. I also notice that it does not seem to respect my time zone setting.
For version 1.0, the application is an excellent addition to the free blogging software. No doubt this is going to be a very popular download.
Details, including screenshots and a video, are available on their web site.
A great poster possibly made even better
Right outside the nursery at my church there’s this poster of a baby playing in sand with the caption, “One voice can make a song. One life can change the world.” I’ve always liked the expression on the kid’s face.
One day I had an idea: Being a fan of the Apple iPhone I couldn’t help but wonder just how great this poster would be with a little product plug. Bring in Pixelmator and a few minutes with the airbrush tool and now we know.
Click the link for to see the full-size before and after shots.
APC saves the day from a shocking experience
Thursday was an interesting day. As is my normal custom, I was up late–well into the morning. About four hours into what would have been a great sleep, I was startled awake by a rather loud bang. At first I thought to ignore it; however, some unusual sounds continued to echo throughout the house.
I stumbled out of bed and down the stairs to our main floor. It was then that I noticed the torrential rain fall. It was also then that I discovered the source of the unusual noise: our Philips surround sound system. Oddly enough, it was in standby mode (i.e. turned off) yet there were crackling, static sounds ringing from the speakers. As I drew closer I was greeted with the pungent smell of burning electronics. I immediately realized that for the first time in over two decades of using computers and electronics, I was experiencing had experienced a power surge–no doubt from the storm taking place outside.
I immediately unplugged everything (a single plug connects the TV, DVD-Recorder, Apple TV, Nintendo Wii, and surround sound system through an APC surge protector–and yes, I have a lot of toys, but that’s not the story being told here). I was still quite groggy so I quickly made sure there was no smoke, fire, etc. emanating from any of the gadgets and then laid down on the couch to have brief rest (and wake up).
After about 30-minutes I arose and woke my computer from its sleep to send an e-mail to Sophia and share the interesting story. At this point I figured our surround system had bid us adieu; and considering it, along with several hundred dollars in other equipment, were connected to the same power source, I was not optimistic about the state of our remaining entertainment appliances.
I was surprised when I noticed my laptop running on battery power. I discovered the surge protector it was plugged into (also APC, and different from the first) was switched off. I assumed it was a result of the surge and pressed the reset button. It was then I noticed the base unit for our cordless phone was also not on. Regretably, it was not plugged into a surge protector, but directly into the outlet. The power brick was incredibly hot, I removed it before it did any further damage.
After sending a preliminary e-mail I began to examine the “damage.” When I opened the glass door of the entertainment unit, I found black soot everywhere. As I continued to look around inside I found the APC surge protector had selflessly sacrificed its life for that of our equipment. I grabbed a spare power bar and slowly began to turn on all the pieces in our entertainment cabinet. Thankfully, every last one worked! The APC had saved the day (and literally hundreds of dollars).
The APC’s sacrifice did come at a price. The unit itself is not longer able to suppress power surges; it’s been decommissioned now. The intensity of the power surge also caused the plastic on the underside to melt a hole through the unit as it spewed black soot everywhere. After the clean up and set up of a new surge protector, I looked at our cordless phone.
I had a spare A/C adapter from a previous Panasonic cordless phone and it was actually the exact same power rating as the one damaged in the storm. Unfortunately, the surge not only fried the original A/C adapter, but the base unit as well. Rest in Peace, (Model) KX-TG5571.
Regrettably, the surge protector guarding the safety of my laptop, Sophia’s laptop, and an external hard drive used for our Time Machine backups had also sacrificed its life. Blowing the same black soot everywhere (I didn’t notice this earlier in the morning when I was still mostly asleep). The cordless phone base unit and the second surge protector (which connected to the laptops and hard drive) were plugged into the same outlet. Not-so-regrettably, the laptops and hard drive survived without incident as the second surge protector took one for the team.
I must hand it to APC, they make great products. They are a bit pricey, but it’s more than worth it. For the price of about $70, the two surge protectors literally saved us thousands. I can’t imagine how my heart would have sank into my chest at the thought of both computers and a backup drive being lost in one fell swoop.
The story does have a happy ending. Since I now needed to replace two surge protectors, I found an APC UPS (Uninterupted Power Supply, A.K.A. battery backup for computers) online for only $40. When I went to APC’s web site I had an online chat with one of their customer service representatives; he agreed to cover the more expensive surge protector under warranty. APC also agreed to pay all shipping costs, including the return of the spent unit back to their facility.
The house still has a burned electronics scent after nearly a full 24-hours; however, I’m grateful that throughout a horrible experience, a little ounce of prevention saved us from what would have been a horrifically expensive and inconvenient situation.
It’s worth mentioning that if you don’t protect your expensive (and sensitive) electronic equipment, you’re setting yourself up for a disappointing moment at some point in the future. A small investment more than paid off for us, and APC gets a thumbs-up in my books!
Update: The Welland Tribune has an article posted on their site about the incident.
Click the link for some pictures of the APC unit that suffered brunt of the damage, as well as a memorial to the phone/answering machine that served without fail for only a few years.
Workplace Safety
Part of Sophia’s training during our travels in April has included an element of hydraulic press safety. Below is a clip from a safety video. This illustrates what I can only assume is a typical factory in China (note the lack of hardhats). These individuals are positioning and removing metal parts as the hydraulic press forms each piece. After seeing this, I think we can all have an appreciation for robots.
My personal favourite element is the individual in the centre (in the white shirt): I love how he has to really duck each time the press comes down.
OS X Tip: Quick Word Definition (Dictionary) Pop-up
One of my favorite features in Mac OS X is the ability to quickly retrieve the dictionary definition of a word from virtually any application.
Move your mouse cursor over a word from any Cocoa application (Safari, TextEdit, etc.), then hold Ctrl and Command (⌘) and tap D. This will cause a small pop-up window to appear with the definition of that word.
This is great when reading things online from authors that like to use big words.