Posts Tagged ‘Cloud / Internet / Email’
Microsoft 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 MoreYes, Ministries Should Embrace AI
There is no doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) has been a significant technological advancement and will continue to revolutionize our lives, with some suggesting AI is to this generation what dial-up internet was to the prior generation. But with artificial intelligence comes many questions. Is it safe? Can it be trusted? And will AI lead…
Read MoreChurch Cybersecurity Starts With the Human Firewall
Every week I’m asked about cybersecurity. Unfortunately, it is usually after an incident has occurred. I’m asked about insurance, incident triage, costs to recover, and more. My favorite calls are from those churches that want to get out ahead of cybersecurity and not just be prepared if an incident occurs but want to be prepared…
Read MoreMicrosoft Resolves M365 Charity Licensing Issue for Churches!
Many Christian churches and ministries have been uncomfortable with the Microsoft charity licensing section requiring them to certify they don’t discriminate in their employment practices regarding LGBT issues. On 10/8/2015 Microsoft resolved this and posted the changes to their website! That is great news for many! Here are the details.
Read MorePassword Management and LastPass
I’ve been asked a lot of questions about password managers, especially due to the LastPass hack that started in 2022 and was fully disclosed in 2023. Before getting too far into this, let me be clear that I’m still pro password manager. Password managers, while not spelled out in the original Greek, are most certainly…
Read MoreThree Strategies that Protect from Ransomware
© 2021 by Nick B. Nicholaou, all rights reserved President, Ministry Business Services, Inc. Reprinted from XPastor.org Ransomware is a serious threat that costs a lot of unbudgeted dollars to fix. Effective protection is available! Here’s what I recommend. Understanding the Threat Ransomware is not like most malware threats that slip into systems under the…
Read MoreOvercoming Communication Challenges
© 2020 by Nick B. Nicholaou & Jonathan E. Smith, all rights reserved Reprinted from CO+OP Magazine> The world has changed. That may be the understatement of the year, but it’s undeniable. While our planet may still be spinning on its axis in orbit around the sun, it certainly does not feel like it. Normal…
Read MoreSo You Want to Use Zoom Anyway
© 2019 by Nick B. Nicholaou, all rights reserved President, Ministry Business Services, Inc. Reprinted from MinistryTech Magazine Most organizations were a bit unprepared for the increased remote work forced on us by the current pandemic. Churches and ministries are communication-focused, and most organizations are letting staff use communication tools they normally wouldn’t. Zoom has…
Read MoreStaff Working Remotely
© 2019 by Nick B. Nicholaou, all rights reserved Ministry Business Services, Inc. President Reprinted from The Church Network’s inSIGHT Magazine An increasing number of church and ministry staff members are working remotely. Whether at home, a coffee shop, or a community center, facilitating their needs is becoming an important part of leadership policy setting.…
Read MoreEmail Scams Targeting Churches
© 2019 by Nick B. Nicholaou, all rights reserved President, Ministry Business Services, Inc. Reprinted from XPastor.org There are two email scams occurring with increasing frequency. These scams hurt churches in two ways, by stealing finances and by breaking congregational trust. What are these scams? What can or should you do about them? What should…
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