Author Archives: Matt Stauffer

By Matt Stauffer | Published December 23, 2010

Getting Started With Cloud Storage

Once Microsoft commercials start touting their ability to keep your data in the “cloud”, you know the word has gone mainstream. Let’s get the basics out of the way–what is the cloud, and how can you benefit from cloud storage today? What is the Cloud? Simply put, the cloud is the Internet. The reason for…   Read more

Posted in Web Services | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments
By Matt Stauffer | Published December 19, 2010

The impact of your “top idea”

Lifehacker’s Kevin Purdy has discovered a great essay by Paul Graham about the Top Idea In Your Mind. Kevin did a great job of introducing the concept at the Lifehacker post Consider What Your “Top Idea” Is Making You Do, but I wanted to share this pull quote to show why fundraisers could really benefit from…   Read more

Posted in Time & Task Management | 3 Comments
By Matt Stauffer | Published December 11, 2010

Clean and Simple Desks

Not every campus staff worker has the space to set up a consistent desk, but for those who do, the layout of your desk can have a strong effect on your experience at work. Pat Dryburgh curates a site called “Simple Desks“, which is simply images of beautiful, simple desk arrangements. Just like other “photoblogs”, Pat…   Read more

Posted in Physical Organization | Tagged , , | 1 Comment
By Matt Stauffer | Published December 10, 2010

Notes and Reminders On the Go

Have you ever found yourself writing a note on your hand, despite the smartphone in your pocket? Here are a few tips on how to take quick notes and reminders when you’re away from your computer, using only your phone (smart or not.) iOS: Captio ($1) Enter your email address once in Captio’s configuration, and…   Read more

Posted in Time & Task Management | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments
By Matt Stauffer | Published December 6, 2010

Keep It Simple: Creating A Facebook Page for Your Ministry

Since the majority of college and university students’ online interactions happen through Facebook, it’s vital for your ministry to have a presence there. The best way to do this is by creating a Facebook Page (formerly known as a “Fan Page”.) Media for Ministry has a post detailing how to create a Facebook Page and…   Read more

Posted in Social Media | Tagged , , | 2 Comments
By Matt Stauffer | Published December 4, 2010

The Basics of “Getting Things Done”

David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” system (GTD) is one of the most-talked about productivity systems around, but the book and its diagrams and terms can seem overwhelming at first glance. We’ll talk here about a few of the basic concepts of GTD, and show you how to connect it with your workflow. Why GTD? In…   Read more

Posted in Time & Task Management | Tagged , , | 2 Comments
By Matt Stauffer | Published November 29, 2010

Facebook groups versus pages for campus ministry

This post is a continuation of yesterday’s post on using Facebook as your ministry’s “home base.” As Facebook has developed, the choice of how to represent your campus ministry has become more complex. Brian Barela recorded a screencast at Media for Ministry teaching about the differences between profiles, groups, and pages. If you want the quick…   Read more

Posted in Social Media | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments
By Matt Stauffer | Published November 28, 2010

Can a Facebook page/group be a “home base”?

Sean, InterVarsity staff at Jacksonville University, asks: Would you recommend people using a facebook group or page for their home base and why? There are two parts to this answer. Can a “home base” be a Facebook page/group? When Sean asks about a “home base,” he’s referring to this post about home bases, outposts, and…   Read more

Posted in Social Media | Tagged , , | 2 Comments
By Matt Stauffer | Published November 26, 2010

Using Staff Monkey to manage your partner communications

Ministry partner communications is probably the most frequently neglected aspect of our jobs. Sometimes we just forget, but more often than not, we don’t have the time to devote two days to writing, designing, printing, stuffing envelopes, labeling, stamping, converting to email, and more. Staff Monkey is a service for people who raise support that takes…   Read more

Posted in Email/Communications | Tagged , , | 2 Comments