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- Parental rating: G - All audiences
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- Hosts: Rob Feature and Matt Farina
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- Language: en
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Technology. Faith. And a big ol' mix of both Geeks and God Podcast
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 Anonymous 01/31/2007Listen to this podcast...It's super awesome if you like to hear about using tech in ministry.
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Episodes
 (34mb)
Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:09:05 -0700
We made it! Yes, we've finally arrived at the century mark here on Geeks & God: It's episode 100! On this week's episode, we celebrate this milestone by looking into the future of both Geeks & God and technology as a whole.
We start the episode with some more talk about free Dreamhost web hosting for non-profits then continue with some talk about the future of the podcast and this website! We're taking some time off until December 1, 2008 while we redesign the site.
Finally, we get to our main topic of "What will G&G be talking about in 10 years?". We make our predictions for the web, PCs and technology in ministry. All that this week on Geeks & God.
Episode Links
(52mb)
Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:23:06 -0700
Church Management Systems, also known as ChMS, are used daily but thousands of church leaders all over the world. They help churches organize the information floating around their churches and manage the activities that can quickly clutter your brain. But, what happens when churches want to tie their Church Management Systems in with the Content Management Systems that run their websites? Or, when a church is curious about building a Church Management System with a Content Management System? This week we dive in the difference between a ChMS and CMS, why and how those differences are important, and speculate on the direction these two types of setup are going.
Before we dive into that there's a load of great listener feedback with some ideas and testimony about how a church can get free web hosting. That's right, I said free. So come join us for another episode of Geeks and God and you just might save your church a bunch of money on your web hosting.
Episode Links
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Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:49:32 -0700
How often do we sit back and do just enough to get by? In school it's easy to be a C student. At work it's easy to do enough to keep your job. But, is that what we should strive to do? This week we discuss excellence, what the bible teaches about it, and how that applies to our everyday life and that job that most of us don't like.
Before we dive into being excellent we talk about balancing life, work, and family. When striving for excellence finding balance is important so our desire and striving for excellence in one area doesn't cause us to be anything but excellent in another part of our life.
Episode Links
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Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:49:29 -0700
Twitter is a powerful phenomenon that's changing the way we send and receive messages. Email and instant message haven't gone away but are starting better fit their intent rather than being all inclusive messaging systems. In this weeks episode we explain what twitter is, how it's being used, and talk about some ways it can be useful for ministry.
Before we dive into twitter we have listener feedback to talk about that includes more than a couple useful products and ideas. So, come join us for another information packed episode of Geeks and God.
Episode Links
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Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:56:23 -0700
Starting a business for ministries can seem a little bit overwhelming for many. There are the ins and outs of running a business on top of managing church clients. This week we dive into starting a ministry based web business. While we focus in on starting a web based business, much of what we talk about applies to any ministry support business.
If you're interested in starting a web business, even if you think it's something of a pipe dream at the moment come join us. Part of what we talk about is how to ease into your business.
Episode Links
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Tue, 02 Sep 2008 08:18:53 -0700
On this week's episode we take a 3 pronged approach to keeping your website safe. Having a secure website isn't just about keeping hackers and bots out (although that's true too) it also includes keeping your site safe from random disasters and from human error. That's why, this week, we cover security updates, backing up, and creating a 'sandbox'.
But, before all this, we share some listener suggestions by introducing you to Vidblaster, a cool streaming service, and Web Empowered Church, a free church CMS package!
Episode Links
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Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:01:02 -0700
Is your website set to fit into the future of drupal development? When you create solutions for your site are those solutions aligned so you can easily update to the next version of drupal and follow the drupal trends of the day?
In this episode we explore this idea, provide you with some places you can follow the drupal trends of the day, and talk about a few trends that are current future of drupal.
Before we dive into the drupal goodness we talk about a few topics that even our non-drupal audience can appreciate. We start with more conference stuff, talk about podcasting software, dig into free screencasting software, and talk about securing your online persona. Come join us for another information packed episode of Geeks and God.
Episode Links
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Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:10:43 -0700
This weeks episode is another one we didn't expect to happen. After the Geeks and God Conference we received some great audio comments about the conference. When we listened to them we decided to put together a conference wrap-up episode.
But, this episode took a twist. At the conference we learned about a service called Mogulus which is a great avenue for video on the web and we built a G&G Live portion of the site. When we recorded the episode we were live and on the scene with listeners from around the world. Those listeners even suggested our opening topics. So, come join us for a Geeks and God episode with a twist.
Episode Links
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Fri, 25 Jul 2008 05:31:08 -0700
After one day at the Geeks and God conference we decided to record the episode that was never planned to happen. In this episode John Wilkerson, from the Jesus Geek Podcast, joins us where we talk about conference in the realm of churches and ministries.
Just as the picture suggests, we recorded this episode relaxing outdoors in Robs backyard. Come join us for a relaxing episode where we chat about conferences.
Episode Links
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Mon, 23 Jun 2008 03:00:48 -0700
Have you noticed how unproductive the technology we love can make us? We start twittering and loose track of time. Or, we get into instant message conversations that distract us from doing the work at hand. How so often we feel like we got a lot done but didn't really accomplish very much.
In this episode we talk about being productive and using technology to help us be productive. This isn't just a matter of what technology we use but how we use the technology that's out there in an effective manner to get things done.
Before we dive into getting things done we talk about some listener feedback and the lack of pictures of Christian living on the Internet. Could the new Geeks and God flickr group be part of the solution? Come join us for another fun filled episode and find out.
Episode Links
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Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:19:29 -0700
After months of sitting on drupal 6 we're finally talking about it. There is a saying in drupal which describes the differences between versions. "The drop is always moving." When drupal goes from one major release to the next expect and enjoy significant changes.
We start off attempting to explain this philosophy and then dive into some of the new and exciting changes. If you're a module or theme developer this release is like a breath of fresh air compared to drupal 5. With each new release things get better and better. This new release has more new good stuff in it than we could begin to cover but we try to hit on some fun big points like the theming, new features in core (actions rule), performance improvements (like a mac each new release is faster on the same hardware), and more.
We finish it off with a little peak into what we might get in drupal 7, the version currently being developed by the drupal ninjas. So, come join us for another fun filled episode where we get dunked in a tank of drupal fun.
Episode Links
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Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:14:20 -0700
Changing web hosts can be a real pain. The logistics alone are enough to stop someone from making the switch. In this weeks episode we walk though changing web hosts. We start with how you know there is better out there and when you should change. It turns out, when you look at the market, there are a lot of opportunities for churches and ministries to be on more cost effective solution.
Then move on to walk through a fast way to make the switch keeping your downtime as small as possible. This is our 8 step method.
Before we dive into changing web hosts we talk about using a CSS framework and the new drupal starter module called blueprint. Come join us for another roaring episode of Geeks and God.
Episode Links
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Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:00:37 -0700
Are you ready to drink a new flavor of tasty kool aid? This week we talk about jQuery, the JavaScript library bundled with drupal. If you've wondered how drupal has those resizing text fields, it's autocomplete fields, and drag and drop interfaces we need to look no further than jQuery. It's what's making the magic happen.
jQuery provides us a powerful way to write snippets of JavaScript that can do a whole lot. They can update sections of an already loaded webpage, like the homepage for Mothers Click or they can be used to create some advanced functionality, like the htmlbox wysiwyg editor.
In this weeks episode we give an overview of what jQuery is and talk about how to use it from within drupal. We thought some of the material needed some examples for you, our listeners, to see. You can find those examples in the article "jQuery and Drupal" on InnovatingTomorrow.net.
Episode Links
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Mon, 26 May 2008 08:52:52 -0700
This may be the most controversial episode of Geeks and God to date. In this episode we say, "Go Green!" and we're not routing for our school colors. This is an episode about technology and our interactions with the ecosystem we live in. We talk about why it matters and talk about a start to what we can do about it.
If you are itching to respond to our episode links or the topic in general we ask that you listen to the episode first. For some reason this topic seems to bring out a lot of arguments. It's become a political fire zone. It's a topic filled with opinions and passion. We attempt to take this topic outside the usual context and this difference matters.
In an effort to share some love of Gods creation, what ways do you see that we can live in better harmony through technology with this ecosystem we live in?
Before we dive in to this firestorm topic, we respond to some listener feedback including an opportunity to look at word of mouth in the online world.
Episode Links
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Mon, 19 May 2008 15:42:12 -0700
In this weeks episode we have a little fun. This week we talk about web applications and services that rock our socks off. These are some of our favorite sites and services to use.
Now that we've shown you ours, what are your favorite web 2.0 sites and services?
Yahoo Pipes, Tumblr, Twitter, Good Reads, Remember The Milk, Photo Color Schemer, Stripe Generator, Splashup, Pandora, iLike, Skitch, Stumbleupon, Bright Kite, Mint, Live Maps, Zoho, Slide Share, Jott, Skribit, Evernote, Sky Drive
Episode Links
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Mon, 12 May 2008 04:22:39 -0700
Have you ever tried to remotely explain something to someone and just wish you could show them? Have you ever put a tutorial online and wanted to show them rather than write your way through something? If you have then creating screencasts is an answer to your problem.
Screencasts are a powerful and user friendly tool for sharing video from your computer screen. Instead of screenshots accompanied by writing they are video accompanied by audio. In todays episode we talk about where screencasts can be a powerful tool for the church, a workflow for creating screencasts, and the tools needed to make them.
Before we dive into screencasts, Matt and Rob talk about the way they view web creations differently and how these different perspectives play into the things they build.
Episode Links
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Mon, 05 May 2008 04:47:36 -0700
The fshbwl was a unique project for many reasons. It was one of the occasions where Matt was the project lead rather than Rob. In building it we did some things differently than we'd ever done before. And, it was built in more than a week but well less than 3 months. In this weeks episode we discuss building a website in a different way. Some modules are different, parts of the approach are different, and a number of the things on the site turn out differently. This even leads Matt and Rob to discuss their differing views on inline content. Differing views? Could this be a royal rumble?
But, before we dive into building the fshbwl we talk about building a site in a week. Is this a contradiction from what we talked about just a few weeks ago? You'll have to come listen to find out.
Episode Links
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Mon, 28 Apr 2008 03:00:00 -0700
We've been asked how we created GeeksandGod.com a number of times and always shied away from talking about it. It's not that there was some deep dark secret or that we didn't want to share some super sweet technique. It was nothing like that at all. To be frankly honest, we just didn't think GeeksandGod.com was a very good example to share with people.
In this episode we take our case study in a different direction. We talk about how GeeksandGod.com started, where it has come, what we did, what that meant, and how we would do things different now. We, also, talk about a lesson that we hope every developer learns and we see embodied in GeeksandGod.com everyday.
Before we dive into another case study we talk about widgets. Those fun little programs that can actually have a purpose. Come join us for another fun filled and action packed episode of Geeks and God.
Episode Links
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Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:20:03 -0700
Have you ever looked at a website and wondered, "How did they do that?" In todays episode we explain how we built MuddyRiverMedia.org. You've been asking us for years how we built certain sites. Most of the time we shy away because so much of the fun stuff is site specific. This time around we dig in, we talk about modules, we talk about theming, and we talk about the concepts where we got into some crazy site specific scripting magic. There is less than many of you would think.
If there is an area you would like more detail on please ask. If there is an area you want us to dig in deeper in future case study episodes please let us know. Over the next few episodes we are doing case studies of different types of sites and the more complete we can make them them more they will help you out.
Before we dive into pulling about this site we have more user feedback and we talk about html email newsletters.
Episode Links
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Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:45:33 -0700
Today we start a brand new series in which we look at specific Drupal based CMS websites that your hosts, Rob and MF, have built. The idea here isn't to promote ourselves as site builders, but instead, to give you an inside look at the things we consider when building sites and to give you some behind the scenes info on how we build them.
Today we start with MuddyRiverMedia.org, a recent site built by Mustardseed Media. The episode was originally supposed to contain info on both concepts and hands-on geek skillz, but Rob talked too much, so it's broken into 2 episodes, todays lays out the conceptual with special guest Mark Fogerty, owner of MuddyRiverMedia.org
All that plus listener feedback on this week's G&G
Episode Links
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Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:00:00 -0700
Read The Transcript Of This Show (courtesy of Joel Dittmer)
The most important step in building an awesome church website happens before any development work begins. This is the preproduction step. If you're going to hire a contractor, this step happens before you go looking for one. If you are going to have a team in your church build the site, this step happens before you meet with them. In this episode we talk about the ins and outs of website preproduction. This step can mean the difference between a so-so site and one that rocks your socks off.
Before we dive into this oh so important topic we talk about The Fishbowl. The Fishbowl is a new project exploring faith from a number of angles. It's rare that we have a project we developed that matters to more than a local church community. This is one of them and it showcases the power of drupal.
And, for you mac lovers, we talk about Fluid App. A program that can turn any website or web application into a desktop program.
Episode Links
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Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:56:16 -0700
Sometimes it's all about the money. In this case, it's about the transaction. Online donations are something many churches are asking about. In an effort to make it easier to give we are always looking for ways that fit the lifestyles of our members. Today we talk about online donations and even get into ecommerce, for those churches that want to sell their stuff.
Online transactions can be no small deal. When we factor is transaction fees, software, payment gateways, and all services involved online transactions can quickly escalate into a hairy mess. In this episode we cover the ins and outs of ecommerce.
Before we dive into ecommerce, have you ever herd of Internet Evangelism Day? It's a day for the church to focus in on using the Internet well to spread the word. We talk about this day, which is coming up April 27th, and we answer more listener feedback.
Episode Links
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Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:28:24 -0700
Education is a key element of the church. We have sermons in our worship services. We have bible studies. There are apologists who study science and logic then teach what they learn. In this episode we talk about taking teaching virtual, and I don't mean the kind of teaching where you have to wear equipment or have an avatar. Online teaching is not new to technology or the education world. We explore bringing a new form of education to the church.
Before we dive into online education, we respond to a ton of feedback from our listeners. Come join us for another episode of Geeks and God. Maybe you'll learn something.
Episode Links
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Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:18:35 -0700
Community websites are all the rage these days. We've talked about building them. We've talked about services like MyChurch that help churches have a community web presence. Now, after a few months of having our own community church website we talk with Pastor Dion about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the experience. The past few months has been a learning experience. There have been successes that we never predicted and failures where we assumed there would be a success. As a bonus, we get Dion to talk about his studio style podcast for his local church community. The very kind of podcast we talked about in our Podcasting Your Church series.
Before we dive into church community on the web we talk about the impact of the words please, thank you, and your welcome. These might be some of the most powerful community building words of all.
Episode Links
Sorry, No Links This Week
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Mon, 03 Mar 2008 02:03:26 -0800
Geeks are a perplexing group to church leaders. Some love them and what they bring to the table. Some are driven nuts by geeks ideas. And, some don't know where to begin with geeks and only hear something that sounds like a foreign language come out of them. This week we have Pastor Dion Garrett on the podcast to share a pastors perspective of geeks in the church. For church leaders, we talk about how to work with geeks in ministry and some of the great things they bring to the table. For geeks, we talk about how to work with church leaders so they understand what you are saying and are willing to get behind your ideas.
If you've been frustrated by your church leaders not seeing where technology can help their ministry or by not being able to communicate with the geeks this is the episode for you. Come join us for another fun filled episode of Geeks and God.
Episode Links
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Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:11:24 -0800
Are WYSIWYG editors a blessing to web users or a freakish experiment gone terribly wrong? That's a question that you can ask 10 people and get 20 different answers to. This week on Geeks and God we dive into WYSIWYG editors talking about the good, the bad, and why so many web designers hate them while so many web users love them. Love and hate may seem like strong words but that's the level of emotion they bring out in some people. Especially web developers.
Plus, we help you set them up in drupal. It's not as easy as strapping on a WYSIWYG editor and running with it. What options do you give someone? What about input filters? What about administrators? And, should you consider a psuedo-WYSIWYG editor instead? Have you even herd of a psuedo-WYSIWYG editor?
Before we dive into WYSIWYG editors we talk about church copyright and a creative commons hymnal. We have a resource that will, hopefully, help you answer the question, is my church stealing copyrighted material? Come join us for another fun fill episode of Geeks and God.
Episode Links
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Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:26:11 -0800
On today's episode, Rob and MF incurr the wrath of server administrators everywhere. We boldly go to a place that will invite hate e-mail: The Virtual Office.
In our estimation, there is no reason for any church to host any of their own services anymore. Webhosting, e-mail serving, calendars, or even documents. We do our best to defend our point of view, which has the major goal of allowing churches to focus on PEOPLE instead of IT issues and also, in these hard budget times, to save a boat load of money.
Before all this Rob derides our own conference in an attempt to make sure people's expectations are correct, while MF attempts to soften it so people still attend :) (honestly, though, it's going to be a great conference with great information...we may have gone overboard on our disclaimers) All this and more on this weeks G&G!
Episode Links
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Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:10:58 -0800
On today's episode we unplug. We go analog. We take off the CD and put on the Vinyl (is any of this making sense?) In today's episode we talk about that much needed balance that all geeks need: time where we step out of the virtual and into the real world. If this is as tough for you as it is for MF and Rob, it's definitely an issue that needs to be talked about and addressed...for our spiritual health, physical health, the health of our relationships and the health of our faith.
So, in this episode, we talk about just why we should take time to "live analog". Rob talks about the ideas origins in audio recording and we suggest that unplugging is a great way to feed our creativity and enhance our work. We talk about spending time alone, spending time with familiy, and, darnit, we shame you into turning off your television set and cell phone.
We talk about how turning off the computer when you're not actually working can make a huge difference in learning to live analog. We hit all the obvious topics such as enjoying the outdoors and exercising, and we take it one step further by talking about reading more and finding a 'transitional' activity. We cap it all off by talking about the idea of Sabbath and challenge you to start living analog on your Sabbath day.
Before all this, we hit lots of user feedback and give you a geeky way to celebrate Lent. We then share the oh-so-sad-news that there will be no podcast next week. So take that as a reminder to LIVE ANALOG!
Episode Links
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Mon, 28 Jan 2008 06:54:38 -0800
"Can I get fries with that? No. You can't. That's a different kind of Extra Value....
On today's episode, we tackle the frequently asked question: "I created a great website with all kinds of interactivity, but no one in my church uses it..." This is a common problem, and you're not alone. The fact is, churches aren't apt to use a new website if it's simply, well, a website. So, today we talk about the idea of extending your website outside of the normal bounds of the internet.
We talk about why value added content is necessary and address the question: "Why should churches care about this extra content?" We then dive into some different ways you can enhance your website with things such as audio and video, training opportunities, community interactivity, stuff for kids, and device integration.
But before all this, we talk about the possibilites of using Ustream or Talkshoe in the future, we become determined to make audio or video from the upcoming Web 2.0 conference available...and finally we ask a hard question: What are the requirements to be a modern church secretary?
Episode Links
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Mon, 21 Jan 2008 10:47:25 -0800
Today we wrap up our series on Building Online Community by talking about how, once the website is done and the geeky tools are put away, you lead this community so it's successful and positive.
We talk about how online communities are more grass roots than top-down and we warn you not to expect people to just fall in line and start using the grand site that you talk about. We chat about the importance and methods you can use for getting church staff and leadership on board and talk about how to lead and train people both online and off. MF keeps wanting to do some hand-holding which leads Rob to quickly move onto the topic of the important of patience when leading one of these web communities. We wrap up by talking about the excitement and long term commitment that are necessary if you want to build up your church community online.
Before all this, we remind you that registration is open for the Geeks & God Web 2.0 Conference and we notify you that the dates have been changed to July 24-26 (due to a venue conflict). We talk about your listener feedback, thereby keeping good on our new year's resolutions. Thanks for joining us for yet another fun filled episode!
Episode Links
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Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:05:45 -0800
So, you've built this beautiful and functional community website for your church or ministry. The problem is, you're a geek. Yeah, and I'm a geek. We know how to use geeky CMS websites without any intructions, special menus, training or hand holding. The problem is, not everyone in your church is nearly as computer literate as you are...therefore, we have to make this new website usable for the average congregation member.
That's why, on today's episode, we focus on creating some usability in our community based website. We start by talking about why we should even care about or consider the usability issue and emphasize how important it is that you, yourself, use the site to encounter the same issues that other users will.
We then proceed to talk about navigation and user menus, instructions and training and, well, making sure you're site actually works as advertised. We talk about a little bit of user-hand-holding that should happen and chat about user-paths through the website.
But before all this, Rob profiles the idea of an 'expert-setup templating system' for any church ministries by profiling a new podcast setup he did at his church. All on this week's Geeks & God Podcast....
Episode Links
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Mon, 07 Jan 2008 08:27:32 -0800
On today's episode we continue our series about Online Communities by talking about forming small online groups on your church website. We talk about why we call them "organic" groups, tying them to the physical world, what these groups might look like, and what types of content you might put into these groups.
The second half of the show is for our Drupal lovers. We talk, specifically, about how to build online groups using the Organic Groups module. When doing so, we talk about the different setting options on organic groups, add on modules, and some things you can do to customize the layout of the content.
But before all this, we announce that Rob and Matt's new podcast, The Super Average Podcast is now online with the first episode ready to download. Jump over there and check it out today!
Episode Links
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Sat, 22 Dec 2007 15:11:23 -0800
Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas from MF and Rob to all of you out there in G&GLand. Today's episode was actually not even supposed to happen (we were planning on taking the next two weeks off for the holidays) until Rob looked in the G&G e-mail box...and sheesh! We realized just how poorly we've been doing at staying on top of your questions and comments.
So, we take a one episode break from our Community Website series to bring you this Listener Bonanza! Think of it like a smorgasbord of thoughts, questions, comments, ideas, likes and dislikes from all of you kind enough to write or call in recently. We talk about everything from headphone models to wordpress installs, our (possibly incorrect) view on pastors to the future of the show. It's packed full of random tidbits provided by YOU!
Before all this, though, we talk about the Web 2.0 conference which will happen July 17-19, 2008 and the website (launching by January 1st). We talk about a couple of ideas for new podcast episodes in the future, and Rob has waay too much fun in creating the new Geeks & God Swag Store (many more products coming soon). Kick back, and enjoy this buffet of geekdom...here on Geeks and God.
Episode Links
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Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:28:38 -0800
Ok, racefans....are we ready to build the core of all community driven websites? Yup, that's right, today we talk all about building user profiles.
On this episode of G&G, we chat about why user profiles are important for creating real community on the web. We gab about what information you should collect and give some ideas on what type of dynamic info could and should go on a user's profile page.
For the second half of the show, you drupal folks are going to be in hog heaven. We talk about 3 approaches you can take to drupal profile setup, and recommend our favorite. We talk about the the core profile module, the bio module, and the combo of usernode and nodeprofile modules.
But, before all that, we weigh the idea of whether privacy concerns on the internet are driven by security...or if maybe it's something else? All on this week's edge-of-your-seat episode of Geeks and God.
Episode Links
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Mon, 10 Dec 2007 07:18:03 -0800
In today's episode, we talk all about the building blocks of an online community. We talk about types of content that will make for an interactive and engaging community type. We've got the roundup of usual suspects when we talk about how podcasting, blogging, forums, groups, resources, and a community blogroll can help enhance your church community website.
We also talk about how a community site is going to feel a little less structured (ie. more organic) than the past site structures that we've talked about, with content bleeding over from one area to another.
But before all this, we propose a test: How do you know if your church is ready for a community website?
Episode Links
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Mon, 03 Dec 2007 05:48:09 -0800
On today's episode we make the big announcement: The Geeks and God Web 2.0 Conference is coming to fruition, and here are some quick details (the only thing still missing is a solid date). It will happen July 2008 at Michigan Theological Seminary (Plymouth, MI). Tickets are $99 for the first two days, and $50 for the third, which is a 'hands on' web building day (Or $100 for the last day without the first two). We were determined to make it cheap enough for everyone to travel and attend...We're totally pumped, and we hope you are too!
After that, we start our series on Forming Online Community by tackling the basic concepts: What do we mean by online community? Why online community? What are the basic aspects of online community? In the process we talk about old concepts becoming new again, how churches and society have changed, and Rob gets pumped when talking about life-integration and niche markets. And, finally we ask: What are your church's barriers to creating an online community? (feel free to answer in the comments below)
It's an action packed day here on Geeks and God...
Episode Links
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Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:50:18 -0800
Is your church website like a house with clothes, toys, and podcasts scattered around the floors of every room? Or, are you the Martha Stewart of webmasters, organizing and categorizing your content for easy use? (sounds like there's a biblical parable there somewhere...)
On today's 'cast, we're going to encourage you to be like Martha Stewart. At least the pre-jail, "I haven't stolen money from anyone yet" version. We talk all about how important it is for your site to have good information architecture and a navigation scheme that's easy to use...thereby not frustrating your visitors by making them sort thru your dirty socks to find the latest blog entry.
Before all this, we announce the enhanced version of the G&G podcast, and we give you the opportunity to support this podcast (just click any link and see the new donate button on the sidebar)
Episode Links
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Mon, 12 Nov 2007 06:05:15 -0800
On today's episode we make an attempt at tackling The Online Church's biggest fear: User Contributed Content.
We're happy to say, not all churches or ministries are afraid of user contributed content. Some understand that it's the only way to have true church community online all week long. However, there's still plenty of churches who shy away because of the perceived dangers of allowing anyone to add things to the church website. This week, we do our best to educate and encourage, looking at some misconceptions of user contributed content and we talk about different methods of adding checks and balances to the process.
But, before all this, we talk about an issue that frustrates us geeky folks when we seek to help our churches advance in the area of technology in ministry. Innovation is slower in the church than it is elsewhere, and we throw out some ideas about why that is.
Episode Links
(30mb)
Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:10:34 -0800
Are you a stat junkie? If so, you may be in trouble when you get your new podcast online. Today we talk about why podcast statistics are so important, yet we warn that they can be addictive and skew your reasons for podcasting.
We talk all about why tracking your file download and subscription stats can create a two-way conversation between you and your listeners. You can find out what topics they want/need to hear about and get some ideas about which episodes "worked" and which didn't. We also talk about more direct feedback: email, voicemail and more. Staying in touch with your listeners is crucial, and web stats and user feedback are essential pieces to that puzzle.
But, before all that, we talk about a new drupal module and ask the big question: Is podcasting dying?
Episode Links
(28mb)
Mon, 29 Oct 2007 06:55:14 -0700
So, we've brow-beaten you into creating a studio podcast for your church. Now, you gotta distribute it to the big bad world (or, maybe just your congregation). On today's podcast, we talk about how to deliver your podcast...but maybe not in the way you'd expect.
We DO spend a little bit of time talking about creating an RSS feed for your 'cast and using a CMS or other feed-creation method to get your episodes out there...but, we also spend lots of time talking about unorthodox methods for distributing your show. We suggest using CDs (and un-scary language about them) to bring your congregation along with you as well as a way to use an ISO to deliver the goods.
But, before all this, we talk about this comment on how you should test the waters before dropping a bunch of bling on podcast gear and we weigh the idea of an enhanced version of the G&G podcast (tell us, in the comments, if you want us to do an enhanced version).
Episode Links
(17mb)
Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:29:27 -0700
Studio podcasts at your church can be a powerful way to communicate with your congregation and even the world about the greatest message ever and living in the community that God has called us to. That's what we talked about last week when we discussed the theory of studio podcasting. This week we take studio podcasting and get hands on. We talk gear, we talk setup, we talk about spending your money. This episode is all about the tools and workflow of producing a studio podcast. We talk about microphones (including some you might already have sitting around your church), we talk about mixing equipment (wow, has that stuff come down in price in recent years), and we talk about all that connector equipment. Curious about the cost? Well help you answer that question.
But, before we dig into the details we talk about building a podcasting site with drupal and we get into a case study for a church studio podcast (give feedback on it here). Stay tuned... it's Geeks and God...
Episode Links
(16mb)
Mon, 15 Oct 2007 05:46:43 -0700
In last weeks episode, we got you all depressed by telling you how ineffective sermon podcasting is. This week, we hope to raise your spirits and inspire you to begin a podcast that can be much more effective: A studio style podcast. We discuss many theories of studio podcasting such as why studio podcasts are good for your memebers and for outreach, what kinds of studio podcasts could you think about doing, and what type of planning should go into a studio podcast.
But we don't stop there...we talk about what kinds of things to look for in a podcast hosting personality, what types of goals you shoud think about in regards to your podcast, and finally, we talk about why it's important that your podcast has a target audience.
Before all that, however, we dive into listener feedback...playing some of your comments that remind us that the G&G listeners are much smarter than the hosts.
Episode Links
Sorry folks, no links this week...
(14mb)
Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:16:33 -0700
Today's podcast offers up a big ol' contradiction. The topic is "How to podcast your sermon or bible class", yet we spend tons of time telling you why sermon and bible class podcasts aren't very effective. I know, I know...so why try?
We like to call sermon podcasts "The Starting Line" for churches. You MUST podcast your sermons because people expect it and it's good for your members. So, if we must do it, yet it's a fairly ineffective endeavor, let's figure out how to make it better, shall we?
So, in this episode, we spend lots of time talking about how to make a dual-use message more effective as a podcast recording. We talk about tailoring it for the web, recording the highest quality signal, and what you can do to deliver the message in the most effective way possible. We wrap up the episode by talking about some how's of recording, and push the countryman E6 microphone in a way that makes you think get a cut of every sale (we don't, I promise).
But, before all this, MF issues a challenge to all our listeners...check out his post for more information.
Episode Links
(14mb)
Sat, 29 Sep 2007 10:25:37 -0700
Horray! We're back from our 2 month hiatus and ready to rock some socks off. While we were gone, we did a bunch of stuff, but one of the things we did was teach some sessions at a worship conference. This conference has inspired two new aspects of the G&G Podcast...
The first way we were inspired was to do another podcasting series. When talking about podcasting, we saw what a hunger there is for good, solid, knowledge in the church community. So, today's podcast, we start by talking all about why your church should podcast. And, we really focus on how us geeks can convince our pastors and leaders that a solid church podcast is really worth the time and energy.
We were also inspired to dream up and start work on creating The Geeks and God Web 2.0 Conference. The planning is now officially underway for this conference which will be held in the Summer of 2008. Jump over to the conference survey and tell us what you want in a web 2.0 conference from G&G.
We're back and we're psyched....welcome to a new season of G&G.
Episode Links
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