Blogging Ministry-*Updates

Check out the Main Site for updates and recent articles on using a blog for ministry.

Book Review: “WordPress for Dummies, 2nd Edition”

By Lisa Sabin-Wilson (Hoboken,NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2009, 394 pages)

Second Edition is quite an improvement over the already excellent original. It is the essential book for those using WordPress in publishing a blog. This edition is updated to feature version 2.7+ which reflects the last major program change.

The writer introduces one to the basic WordPress blogging program. Then follows with a section covering the WordPress hosted service, next a section on how to set up a ’self-hosted’ blog with the WordPress.org program, and finally, a chapter covering the WordPress MU program used in setting up and hosting entire blogging communities.

<<Read the Rest of the Review>>             *Top

Book Review: "Building a WordPress Blog People Want to Read"

By Scott McNulty (Berkeley,Calif: Peachpit Press, 2009, 263 pages)

This is a great book for those starting out with WordPress. McNulty goes into detail on every facet of properly setting up a new WordPress blog. It has lots of illustrations to demonstrate every step. A real find for any beginner–wish this book was around 3 years ago when I set up my first blog, it sure would have been helpful and a real time saver.

The author does an exceptional job at explaining everything and making it all rather simple to understand. Valuable for WordPress.com bloggers but especially for WordPress.org users–if you don’t know the difference, McNulty will explain it to you. <<Read the Rest on the Main Blog>>

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WordPress Sermons Plugin

Here is a new plugin for WordPress found on Ephesians 4:14 –looks like it might be a useful tool for Pastors and Churches using WordPress.

<<Read the rest on the Main site>>

Using WordPress in Church Websites

  Cory Miller at Church Communications Pro has an entire series on how to adapt and use WordPress to create and run a church website. Another comprehensive and valuable tutorial from CCP for the Christian community.

Also, Churchblogger has a good related post on the same subject- “Creating wordpress church websites“.

Using WordPress could be a possible answer for many churches who don’t have the funds to pay for a professional website and yet want a great looking functional web presence. Also, WordPress doesn’t require a teckie to monitor or make changes.            *Top

WordPress Video Tutorials <<Free>>

I found this link @ Church Communications Pro. They have provided a number of free video tutorials for those starting out and/or using the WordPress blogging platform. They offer a ton of valuable and essential information–check it out!

-"Clear Blogging:"

“How People Blogging Are Changing the World and How You Can Join Them”

By Bob Walsh (Berkeley, CA: Apress, 2007, 351 pages)

An excellent book on why one should blog and how to get started. Bob evaluates which blogging platform might be best for you considering your goals and what type of blog you wish to publish.

<<Read the Complete Review>>

Book Review: "WordPress For Dummies"

By Lisa Sabin-Wilson (Hoboken,NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2008, 384 pages)

Brand new for 2008, an essential book for those using WordPress in publishing a blog. The writer introduces one to the basic WordPress blogging program.

Then follows with three major sections, first covering the WordPress.com hosted service, next how to set up a ’self-hosted’ blog with the WordPress.org program, and finally, a section covering the WordPress MU program used in setting up and hosting entire blogging communities. <Read the rest of the Review at my main Blogging Ministry Site>

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Book: "WordPress Complete"

“A comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to set up, customize, and market your blog using WordPress”

By Hasin Hayder (Birmingham, UK: Packt Pub. Ltd., 2006, 289 pages)

This really is the most ‘complete’ book on the WordPress blogging platform.

<–Read my complete review @ my BOOK Reviews blog–>

Book Review: "WordPress 2: Learn WordPress the Quick and Easy Way"

by Maria Langer and Miraz Jordan, (Berkeley: Peachpit Press, 2006, 294 pgs)

A great book for WordPress users. Wish I had this when I set up my first blog in the beginning. The book gives details on how to get started with WordPress and tips to a whole lot of shortcuts I knew nothing about. It was written with instructions for starting and setting up a blog on WordPress.com or downloading the program to a ISP server or even your own.

There is also good info. on customizing themes and using plugins (a real puzzle to me). The book gives easy to follow instructions (unlike the WordPress directories), and shows pictures of the dashboard and different WP programs to demonstrate what they are talking about. Also shows you how to set up a static home page, add photos (a real problem for me), set up for WebCam images, add Podcasting, and other advanced tasking like directly accessing the Database. The book is very beneficial and quite easy to use. The best current resource out there for everything WordPress.
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