Reduce or elimnate unsolicted emails

I came across a great service provided by the direct marketing association that lets you put in your email address that allows consumers to indicate their wish to reduce the amount of unsolicited commercial email they receive.

Here's the link. DMA Choice.

I just signed up so I'm interested to see how long it takes for the junk email to be reduced.

In addition to emails, this site also tells you how to get off of

• mailing lists
• telemarketing lists
• marketing lists

Sunday - relax day

What's my favorite way to relax? Riding my bicycle of course. I took my camera along with me today and I wanted to share these pictures with you. I love fall in Ohio.

God is good!

True Colors

Yesterday and most of today, the NewPointe staff was off-site at Sky View Ranch for a staff retreat. It was a great time for team building activities, campfires and getting to know each other a little better.

One cool tool we each took home with us was a "True Colors Profile". This a form of the DISC profile. According the the True Colors Profile, I'm 100% green. What does that mean? Here's what my values to the NewPointe team are:

1. Objective and Realistic
2. Always looking for logical solutions
3. Builds good relationships
4. Consistent and steady
5. Presents the facts without emotion
6. Service-oriented
7. People-oriented
8. Good listener

I'd say these are some great qualities for a business administrator.

One funny/cute thing to note that came out in this profile. I like people to stay at least three feet from me. (I don't know why this is but it's true.)

Church Admin resourse

I just returned from Granger Community Church's Innovate Conference. Granger knocked the ball out of the park and I've brought back lots of ideas that I can implement here at NewPointe.

During the breakout session on church finance, the group was sharing resources they use in their role as church business administrators. Dave Moore hosted this breakout and he did an outstanding job.

Here's one resource you need to check out. It's a Yahoo Group called ChurchAdmin. There are over 2,800 members and here's what's discussed on this Yahoo Group.

Church business administrators who share information about church management issues. Typical questions might be, What are your scheduling policies for non-member weddings? Have you had any experience with nursery paging systems? If so, what vendor did you use? Do you have a facilities use policy that you would be willing to share? How do you track interest and participation of volunteers by ministry and more

Keeping up with what's going on

Internally here at NewPointe, our Executive Director Mike Conn gave the staff a new reporting tool. We call it our 5-15 report. (15 minutes to prepare, 5 minutes to read.) Maybe we should call it the 15-5 report.

Anyway, this report is do each Monday. I turn my report into Mike. He's my boss. My direct reports turn their 5-15 into me. This report keeps us as a staff moving forward and focused.

Here's whats on the report:

1. The "Win" for my environment is:
2. My primary goal this week is:
3. I need help from you on the following items:
4. My biggest challenge righ now is:
5. Upcoming changes to my normal schedule:
6. My top projects (with start date, percent complete, and due date)
7. Things that happened last week you should know:
8. People I met with last week and the purpose:
9. Groups I led last week with time and place.

What do you think? Should something be added or taken off this report? Would this tool be useful to you? It sure brings some accountability.

And the survey says. . . .

2007 has been and looks like it will continue to be a very had year financially. According to a survey by Gizzard Commutations Group, (No I didn't make that name up.) 29% of the 500 people surveyed expect to cut back on their charitable giving this fall.

As the Church business guy, this survey doesn't bother me. Here's why. I firmly believe that God is in control. I have no doubt that he will provide the necessary resources, financial and otherwise needed here at NewPointe.

I also believe NewPointe does a great job in teaching people how to manage their finances in a God honoring way. We do this by teaching Financial Peace University.

The question if find myself asking often is when things get tight financially, why is giving to the church one of the first things to go? Wouldn't you want to be working with God and have him involved in your finances vrs cutting him out of the picture by stopping your giving?

Google Health

I was cruising around the net today waiting for the Ohio State USC game tonight and came across a new and free offering from Google.

It's Google Health. It's currently in beta. Here's what they are claiming on the home page.

Google Health puts you in charge of your health information. It's safe, secure, and free.

• Organize your health information all in one place
• Gather your medical records from doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies
• Keep your doctors up-to-date about your health
• Be more informed about important health issues

This all sounds quite interesting to me. Especially when it's time to fill out all those medical forms as my kids are going back to school. I can never remember what medicines they are allergic too.

So, what do you think? Would you feel comfortable putting you medical information in the hands of Google?

Another Church Finance Guy joins the Blogging World

My buddy Dave Moore sits in the same chair as I do. Well not literally, but figuratively. Dave is the Finance Director of Granger Community Church. (As a side bar, I'll be out visiting with Dave next week as part of Granger's Innovate Conference. I'm really looking forward to that.)

Dave just started blogging and he's got some great stuff there already. Starting with his blog name, mooreforthemoney. Dave & I go back and forth with questions, ideas and suggestions. Most of his advise to me rocks my world.

So if your into personal and church finance, stop on over and check out his blog. I get to check him out in person next week.

My experience with BookStore Manager

It's not often I deal with a company that leave me dumfounded. But this is one of those time.

Long story short, the staff member in charge of our bookstore purchased BookStore Manger Software. The plan was to convert from QuickBooks Point of Sale.

A few days after BookStore Manger Software arrived here, this staff member resigned. With this, the bookstore responsibilities ended up on my plate. I wanted to return the BookStore Manager Software. Over the next month on the phone and via eamil I repeatedly requesting to return the UNINSTALLED software for a refund.

Here's the first paragraph of their final email response to me dated 9/8/08.

We appreciate your concerns about implementing Bookstore Manager RMS software into your ministry. Regretfully, we must decline your request for a refund.

I am shocked at their response.

May I have your Attention Please?

I've reached another one of my 2008 goals today.
I've exceed 2,500 miles peddled on my bicycle.


Take a look at my bike computer. The bottom number (2,511) is the total miles for the year. I took this pic as soon as I finished my ride today.

Do you see the 43.4? Don't tell my wife but that's my maximum speed on today's ride. We've got some great hills around here. Cindy really hates when I go this fast. I on the other hand love it.


Remember, It's not reaching your goals that matter most, it's you you are becoming as you work on reaching your goals that counts.

Money Podcast "worth" checking out

I really enjoy listening to Podcasts on my commute to and from work. I also listen to them when I walk my dogs.

If you enjoy the topic of finances, here's a few podcasts worth listening to.

1. The Money Guy
2. Marketplace Money
3. The Dave Ramsey Show
4. Marketplace

What Podcasts do you enjoy listening to?

A GoodSearch for a great cause

I'm very excited to let you know about a new search tool that works great and helps fund the ministries on NewPointe. I know what your thinking, what service or gimmick do I have to sign-up for? There's no gimmick or sign-up.

GoodSearch, powered by Yahoo, donates to charity, every time you do a search or start your online shopping from there. GoodSearch has been featured on ABC News and the New York Times.



It's very simple to use. I've got GoodSearch set up as my homepage. It's very easy process to get setup.

Step 1. Select the charity you want to donate to. (Here's where you type in NewPointe)

Step 2. Search or shop.

That's it. Give it a try. You'll like it and help fund ministry. - Thanks