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* * T H E P R E A C H E
R ' S S T U D Y E Z I N E * * *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* Subscribe free on the web at: http://preacherstudy.com/maillist.htm Published on the first and third Tuesday of each month. *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* Editor's note: The material in this Ezine is copyrighted. Reprint by author's permission only. You may forward it in its entirety to friends and associates. Please do not cut the articles out and paste them into other documents or publications. *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* VISIT THE PREACHER’S STUDY WEBSITE! A wealth of sermons, lessons, and other items pertaining to preaching are available by subscription. An extensive free area is also available. Sermons are full-text and illustration filled. To see what some of our subscribers are saying, click on the link below: http://preacherstudy.com/testimonials.htm Or go to the home page at: http://preacherstudy.com *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* IN THIS ISSUE: [1] Greetings from the editor [2] Featured Article: MINISTRY IN YOUR POCKET [3] Preacher’s Study Website Updates [4] Contact Info [5] Subscribe to this Ezine [6] Copyright Info *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* [1] *=*Greetings from the Editor Greetings everyone. A special welcome to new subscribers. My intention in editing this ezine has been to keep my readers challenged with good ideas and practical solutions for their preaching ministries. Whenever I run across a helpful concept or useful ministry tool, or just have something worthwhile to share from experience, I pass it along. In the recent weeks I have "discovered" a very useful device that impresses me more each day with its application to practical ministry. I refer to the handheld computer which becomes more commonly seen each day. In this issue (and a future one) I'll report on the experience I've had with one of these helpful devices. If you already own one and have something worthwhile to contribute to the readers of this ezine, drop me a note. Perhaps I'll publish your words. God bless. Dave Redick
[2] *=*Featured Article MINISTRY IN YOUR POCKET (Part 1 of 2) (If URLs below "wrap," they won't work by clicking. You must cut and paste them into your browser.) It rides snugly tucked away in your briefcase, loosely dropped into your jacket or shirt pocket, or firmly encased in a leather pouch clipped to your belt. On it reside the vital details of your busy ministry life: Names, addresses, appointments, to-do lists, brief sermon ideas, quickly scribbled reminder notes in your own handwriting, expense and mileage records. It also holds a fully searchable copy of your favorite Bible translation, a thesaurus, a 122,679 word dictionary, and a full-text copy of this week's sermon, along with drafts of a couple messages you are reviewing for use next month and a recent copy of this ezine. Two gentle taps with the tiny stylus in your hand and you're studying or editing your agenda for next month's elders' meeting while waiting in the doctor's office. You can review the biblical qualifications for deacons as you consider a possible new candidate, or take a look at a record of your jogging distances for the last three months. You can pull up a map of the city or county in which you live and quickly search for a street you've never heard of, update your checkbook records, and even check your email or get the latest news off the web. You can read a novel or check the weather report. Snap it into it's little docking stand and it talks with your desktop or laptop computer, synchronizing and backing up vital files with a tiny, happy-sounding, "chirp." Its beeping alarm even gets you up in the morning. I'm referring to a pocket-sized, hand-held, mini-computer that is sometimes lovingly called a "palm top." I've only recently discovered that they're not just toys for techies. They're serious ministry machines. A little more than a month ago, at the recommendation of a friend, I purchased two of these tiny PDA's (Personal Data Assistants.) The second machine left the store because my wife wouldn't let me go without getting one for her, too. I had high hopes of making the outlay worthwhile - justifying my expenditure, you know. Subconsciously perhaps, I still figured my old faithful Daytimer was going to be a hard act to follow. Was I ever wrong! "A paper organizer does everything I need it to do," had been my stock answer to the few converted palm computer addicts who had tried to proselytize me. "Can you search for a name, place, or note on your Daytimer and have every item on it that contains that reference pop up for instant viewing in about two seconds - or can you carry a completely searchable NASB in your shirt pocket?" was the comeback. "Er, no." That got me thinking - and looking - and reading - and shopping. Ultimately I was converted to hand-held computing. I realize some of you may have arrived on this frontier before me. If so, I beg your forbearance. I feel a bit giddy -like someone from New York who's just stepped off the stagecoach in the Wild, Wild West. (Does Wild Bill Hickock really live here?) But let's get serious. After all, I did say this was a serious ministry machine. What I bought was a Handspring Visor Deluxe which runs the Palm 3.1 operating system. It has 8 megabytes of RAM which can be upgraded to 16. (And yes, I already sprang for the upgrade.) I've been doing "handsprings" ever since. With "normal" use the little machine runs for one to two months on two tiny AAA Alkaline batteries, weighs 5.4 ounces, and measures 4.8" x 3.0" x 0.7". It set me back $249 U.S. - about the same price as a replacement battery for my laptop. Wanna see a picture of it? Use the link below: http://preacherstudy.com/myvisor.htm After some research, I had actually entered the store with the intent of purchasing a Palm IIIxe. Trouble was, they were selling faster than they could be produced. There were none in stock and it was rumored that there was a month of waiting involved. I drifted over to another display and found the Visor. My reluctance to wait, along with the discovery of an expansion slot on the Visor (for upgrades)that the other machine didn't have, turned my head. I'm tempted here to jump into all the spec comparisons we all see in computer magazines, but alas, my audience! I'll just say that the Visor is a Palm clone, the product of a new company run by the man who originally invented the Palm Pilot computer. He sold out to 3Com, started a new company, and is now their biggest competitor. Here is what I like about my Visor… It is an excellent organizer. Out of the box it keeps track of appointments, to-do's, and random notes in grand style - as well as (better I think) the leading paper organizers. It stores addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, passwords. It is loaded with alarms to remind you of your wife's birthday or that 3:00 appointment or to wake you up in the morning. The machine is always "on" so these work whether you're using your Visor at the moment or not. It helps you keep track of your expenses. A couple of games are on it if you like those sorts of things. I don't, but that's another story. (I've already been playfully accused of "playing video games in church" as I searched my palm sized NASB while sitting in one of the back pews to check up on a passage being used by one of our teachers. You are warned. This thing could get you into trouble!) O.K. Any number of the little electronic organizers you can buy for 50 bucks will help you track the basic functions of your life. It's what else the Visor does that makes serious ministry. The machine is fully compatible with the Palm Operating system, which means that, though it is a relative newcomer, it will run anything a hand sized Palm Computer will. Thousands of little programs, many of them freeware or shareware, will run on this thing. In fact, I bought a book on the history and use of Palm machines that contains a CD with over 3000 programs. I've only begun to research what is on this shiny little platter. But don't go buy the book and CD. All these programs and many more are available all over the web. Just download them, HotSync (Visor jargon for transferring files from your PC to the Visor and back), and go. I haven't felt this good since that fateful day twelve years ago when I brought home my first XT computer and discovered shareware. I'm out of space for this issue. I'll continue this next time by giving you a rundown on some of the most helpful preaching applications I have discovered so far. To hold you until then, here are a few places you can go if you're inclined to check this thing out yourself. Handspring http://www.handspring.com/ Visor Village http://www.visorvillage.com Palm Boulevard http://www.palmblvd.com/ Laridian Bible Software for Handheld and Palm Computers http://www.laridian.com/ And an interesting article… (Costing approximately the same amount as a replacement battery for my laptop, could the palm-top computer turn out to be the "Poor man's laptop?") http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200007/ppreplace001.html No, I don't get anything for pumping the Visor or Palm products. There are other brands that I'm sure are just as good. I just like mine, very, very much. :-) Copyright (c) Dave Redick, The Preacher's Study, 2000. All Rights Reserved. Reprint by permission only. Please do not cut articles out of this ezine and paste them anywhere else without permission. You may, however, forward this entire Ezine to friends freely.
[3] *=*Preacher’s Study Website Updates Recent additions to our website include: "Six Ways Christ's Faithfulness Can Strengthen You" by Dave Redick. Based on Hebrews 13:1-13. "What Would You Want them to Say?" from Colossians 1:3-8 by Dave Nolte. New material is added weekly. For a recently updated list of all titles available, send email to: titles@preacherstudy.com?subject=Send Title List
[4] *=*Contact Info The Preacher's Study Website & Ezine
[5] *=*Easy Subscribe/Unsubscribe Instructions To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to the following web page: If you don't have Web access, write a brief request to: or unsubscribe_ezine@preacherstudy.com [Your email address will be kept fully confidential and will never be sold or given to anyone.]
[6] *=*Copyright Info The material in this Ezine is copyright (c) 2000 by The Preacher's Study. Reprint articles by permission only. Please do not cut and paste this material into any other documents. You may, however, forward the email version to friends and associates.
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