Articles
Helping Your Help Desk
I’ve had the privilege to serve and support church and ministry IT needs for more than 25 years. In that time, I’ve read tens of thousands of help desk tickets, text messages and email pleas for help, and I’ve listened to countless voicemails expressing concern that “something is wrong.” As resources wane, it becomes harder…
Read MoreFractional Leadership
Wait … fractional leadership? Huh? The term might conjure up concerns of leaders being carved into fractions. Trust me, that’s not what we’re talking about Rather, we’re referring to fractional access to these individuals in leadership roles. The concept has been around for a long time The idea behind fractional leadership is that instead of…
Read MoreWindows 10 End of Service – Are you ready?
It seems like just yesterday we were reveling in the announcement from Microsoft that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows. No more upgrades, no more end-of-service support, no more IT hassle. It seemed utopian. Now here we are. We’re well into Windows 11 — waiting for Windows 12 — and dealing with…
Read MoreMicrosoft Licensing Changes for Nonprofits, Explained
On May 14, 2025, Microsoft sent an email to non-profit grant customers announcing: Your Microsoft365 Business Premium grant is being discontinued. Such words can send shivers up the spines of non-profit staff, as many depend on the Microsoft grants. First, if you’re still shivering, that’s understandable — but please wrap yourself in a warm blanket…
Read MoreMicrosoft 365 vs Google Workspace
One of the most frequent questions we are asked at MBS is Microsoft or Google? This question is often asked as ministries consider Microsoft or Google for services like email, SPAM filtering, productivity apps like word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations and communication services such as video calls, chat and messaging. Both offer charity donations for…
Read MoreThe best ChMS is…
(If only it were that easy.)Â Picture it: for five easy payments of $19.95, I can provide you with the best Church Management Software (ChMS) on the planet. It does everything your ministry needs, and it does it how your ministry needs it done. The look and feel are perfect. All the reporting you need…
Read MoreSecurity vs. Convenience
The line between security and convenience can be a challenging line to navigate. I frequently speak with pastors and ministry leaders about how to protect an organization while still empowering users to accomplish their mission. The more secure you are, the less convenient it is for the users. The more convenient it is for the…
Read MoreDon’t Go it Alone
Can I ask you a question? Do you want your IT staff to go it alone? Do you want them learning from others or solving all problems in a vacuum? By default, many IT folks prefer to go it alone, but that may not always be best, especially in ministry. The clichĂ© is silos vs.…
Read MoreReasonable & Essential BYOD Policies
BYOD– Bring Your Own Device– is an IT wave that is sweeping corporations. IT Directors are understandably uncomfortable about this. Adopting enforceable policies will make the difference, however, in BYOD’s success in any organization.
Read MoreLargest IT Outage in History
I wanted to provide an update to today’s widely reported internet outages. I hope the first thing we do when outages like this happen is to trust in the Lord. Our Savior is far more powerful than any of our technology and inconveniences like today’s outages are all part of His sovereign plan. We have…
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