Blogging Ministry/ Terapad

Blogging Ministry -Updates

admin@bloggingministry.com — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:01:00 GMT

See the Main Site for Updates and recent articles on using a blog for ministry.

New articles are added every week.

Getting Started: With Terapad -An Evaluation

admin@bloggingministry.com — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:54:00 GMT

There are a number of very good reasons to use Terapad.

1. The Cost is 0,zip, nada. You can upgrade @ $5/mo.

2. It is fast and easy. Using the basic default settings you can get started in 30 minutes. If you are particular like me and you want to view all the possible features, it could take an hour or so. It took me nearly 1hr to set up this site the way that it is.

3. It has all of the important features that the more advanced programs have. Most of the features are built in and don't need to be added via plug-ins/widgets. One very good feature, it has side bar 'containers' that you can put anything you want in: mp3, video, pictures, buttons, banners, small 'about' blurbs, etc. It really is unlimited.

4. You can completely customize the site since you have access to the CSS code.

5. You can have multiple editors/contributors. You can also run a discussion forum on your site.

6. Posting to the site is easy and the editor is loaded with all the needed features and then some. It even has a spell check built in.

7. You can even use your own domain address if you have one. Plus the program makes it easy to transfer your files from LiveJournal or WordPress.

8. There are files to store pictures, mp3, and video in to be accessed,

9. Static pages are available. You can choose to have just a blog, webpages, or both.

10. Stats are built in, but I also added a 'SiteMeter' in one of the side containers.

11. On the pages, you can construct your own store, events promo & sales, and even add Paypal. You can also have a page dedicated to News and RSS feeds. All part of the package.

12. Tech. support is built in and suppose to be easy to request.

Here are a couple of not so good points:

1. Terapad owns the domain you are publishing on so you are always somewhat limited in what you can do with the site. You can however purchase/use your own domain address and have a permanent address that you can build on and keep even if something happens to Terapad.

2. If you use their domain, which is free, and you decide to move your blog to another host, you will lose your blog address, links, and much of your traffic. You can move your files to another address and republish, but you will need to maintain your old site in order to direct visitors to your new location and maintain the links to all your old posts.

3. There are ~~only 6 templates~~ now 60+ templates to choose from to start. This is the greatest problem for those who are starting out. Advanced and intermediate bloggers will be able to change the looks of the site and customize it. However, beginners will be stuck with a using one of the generic templates that look like several thousand others. 60 is definitely an improvement over the 6 they use to have.

4. Google ads are placed on your blog if you set up a free site. They should be on topic but maybe not always. For $5/ mo. you can be ad free and gain bandwidth.

5. Since Terapad is relatively new, there are no manuals, or books written or published about Terapad to help the beginners or even intermediate folks like me. Also, alternate templates have not been developed yet.

6. Because it is relatively new, Terapad has no real track record to access and evaluate. Many hosts/platforms have come and gone so there is really no way to determine whether Terapad will have staying power. However, with all the features that they offer, they should become quite popular.

Conclusions: Terapad is an incredible blogging/website platform that is only going to get better. There are a number of really good features that ministries should be able to use. Particularly ministry groups. Read the article by Tim Schmoyer about all the potential uses of Terapad for youth groups.

The integration of blogging and web pages should be very helpful to churches and ministry organizations. Especially for those with little or no $ available for maintaining a 'professional' type website. *Top

*Back to the main The Blogging Ministry site.

A Review of Terapad

admin@bloggingministry.com — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 16:33:00 GMT

Tim of Life in Student Ministry blog posted a review of the new Terapad.com a blogging platform. He evaluated Terapad from a Youth ministry perspective and looks at its possible uses as a youth group website.

It was through this article that I found Terapad.com. *Top

**Back to the main The Blogging Ministry site

The Blogging Ministry: The Vision and Goal

admin@bloggingministry.com — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 15:34:00 GMT

This was the first post on my main site (March 8, 2007) explaining the original vision and goal for The Blogging Ministry:

This week saw the first anniversary of my experience with Blogging. I posted about the initial vision for a blogging ministry and about some of my experiences on my home Blog: ANSWERS For The Faith.

In the process of looking at how far I have really come in a year, what I have learned, and what I wish I didn’t do; I came to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe some of my experiences might be helpful to others who are just starting out, and maybe also for some who have been around awhile. Believe me when I say that I have done just about everything wrong and yet have survived.
I am more excited today about the possibilities of Blogging as a form of ministry than when I started. I now see an unlimited potential for Blogging as a form and a tool of Ministry. I would like to make it easier for those starting out like I did with little or no knowledge about the internet or blogging.
The plan: We’re going to look at different kinds of blogging as a potential tool of ministry. We’re going to explore some of the easier blogging tools that are out there. All of this from the perspective of a beginning luddite technophobe such as myself, who didn’t know how to right click 12 months ago.

The Goal: To help those who know little or nothing about Blogging get started in a blogging ministry; and provide some basic information and basic tools to make it a whole lot easier. *Top

**Back to the main The Blogging Ministry site