I’ve been a fan of YouVersion ever since they came out.

What’s not to like? They offer online access to a huge amount of different Bible translations: 209 versions in 75 languages, to be exact. You can easily bookmark your reading and share it online via Facebook or Twitter. They have YouVersion apps for every conceivable device out there.

Here’s a nice blurb from the site in case you’re not too familiar with the background of the site and app:

YouVersion and the Bible App were created by a team at LifeChurch.tv in Edmond, Okla., to help increase access and engagement with the Bible. Featuring more than 100 versions and many languages, YouVersion was created to help people with busy, on-the-go lifestyles read the Bible at any time and in any place. Since its creation, YouVersion has remained in the top five downloaded apps in the reference category and is the No. 1 downloaded Bible on iTunes. 

Two years ago they introduced some great Bible reading plans that were received to much fanfare. And finally, very recently, they release several new features that I’d like to highlight:

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In the U.S we celebrate Thanksgiving today. It’s a day in which, amongst other things like eating, we give thanks.

There are no gifts that are given. There are not many cards that are promoted for this day. Flowers are not bought. I assume Hallmark and card makers hate this day because they can’t make money from it. It’s just family, friends, food, and thankfulness.

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I just upgraded to Standard Theme 2 on Modern Ekklesia. While things may not look different at all on the outside of the blog, there’s some new functionality that has been added. And if you’re thinking of getting into blogging, here’s a few reasons why this is the perfect time to jump in.

1. Awesome support. This one is big for me. I’ve been blogging for almost two years now, but I still consider myself a newbie. Especially when it comes to blogging on a self-hosted WordPress blog, which is a little more technical. But there is a great group of guys that provide support for the Standard Theme. When I upgraded from v. 1, I experienced a little hiccup on my blog, which was due to user error. From the Support Forums, they patiently helped me figure out what was wrong. They do it very quickly and in a very professional manner.

2. Social media icons options. This will make your life much easier. For example, you can now change the size of your social media icons with a click. If you want them small, fine…if you want them larger, click, and you’re done.

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My friend, Javier Diaz, is using technology in a wonderful way: to help bring water to people who need it.

He recently opened a profile on CharityWater.org and is doing a campaign to help raise funds to build a water well. I know that this takes a lot of dedication and hard work. The funds don’t automatically trickle in (no pun intended).

So I challenge you to take a moment and contribute to this wonderful cause.

Throw some money in the bucket.

Many thirsty families will thank you.

To see his post and the link of where you can give click here.

A few days ago I had the privilege to guest post on Church Crunch on the topic of “What the Church Can Learn From Lady Gaga.” I know for most people it would seem that there’s nothing that we’d every want to learn from her. And I’m not condoning her message, but I think there are a few things the Church can learn. To read the post click here.

And let us know what you think.

[image by Jay Feria]

Have you ever wondered why change can be so difficult? What needs to be done might seem completely logical and make perfect sense. It might be as clear as 2+2=4, but, yet, sometimes people will still be very resistant. Have you ever wondered why? I know I have.

Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, in their book Leadership On the Line, perceptively touch upon, what I think, is one of  the real reasons why people avoid change.

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ModernEkklesia now has a new look! After being on Blogger for 1.5 years, I’m happy to announce that we’re now on WordPress, and we’ve gotten a facelift.

It’s actually been up for about the past two weeks. I hadn’t officially announced it yet because I was still tweaking some stuff and trying to get some stuff to be perfect. Alas, it’s a continuing journey.

So if you’re one of those that always reads this through email or rss, I invite you to check out the site (www.modernekklesia.com) and take a look. Let me know what you think. In this post I solicited your help and responses in helping me to get the new look, and you guys showed up. So thanks! I ended up going with a blend of your recommendations.

So as a special thank you for your help I’d like to do something that I’m really excited about: give away a free book! It’s not just any book. It’s a book that is not even for sale yet, and won’t hit the book shelves until June. Pretty cool, huh? How did I get it? Well, you see, there was a guy named Tony who said he found a van full of books in the back of a warehouse and thought it wouldn’t be a big deal if he….ok, i’m just kidding, of course. Some pre-release versions were sent out to some bloggers.

The book is called “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose.” It’s valued at $16.19 on Amazon.com, but you can get it for free here.

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