Since the earthquake in Haiti recently, I have lost count of how many video images of the destruction I have seen. During the past few weeks, in an effort to keep up with the unfolding events, I discovered that, like many other people, I am watching the news when it is most convenient for me - during a lunch break, in between classes, or catching up after a very busy week. I am also watching the news, and even entire television shows, less on my television and more on my computer, Blackberry, or iPod touch. Recently I even bought new software that will stream content between my iMac and TiVo. As I've watched the post-earthquake drama play out on the news, I've found myself thinking about how powerful the media, especially video, really is and how more and more news outlets, television stations, and other organizations are streaming their video content on their websites. Streaming video on the Internet has changed the way our world communicates. In the age of digital technology, streaming video is a smart move to make if you want to keep the audience you have and as well as reach a new generation of viewers.

Reasons to Stream Video on Your Website:

1. Video will drive traffic to your website where people can learn more about your organization.
2. Video grabs viewer's attention. In today's age of short attention spans, people are much more likely to watch a two- to three- minute compelling video than wade through a text- heavy website.
3. With Internet-ready devices, such as Blackberries, iPods, iPhones, and laptops, an organization's content is accessible from anywhere and at any time.
4. Streaming video to your website can save you money! In an economy where money is tight, instead of spending money duplicating your latest production on DVD, your video can be downloaded and used instantaneously via your website.
5. Video is easily rebroadcast in other communication mediums such as on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and You Tube which increases the potential size of your audience for free.

We all know God has given us each different gifts with which to serve Him while we're passing through this life. Sometimes, though, I'm learning my gifts could be used for so much more than what I'm already doing. As communicators, we use our gifts every day to advance the kingdom. We are behind the scenes mostly, but nonetheless, we are using the gifts God gave us. I love knowing that something I've done - a mailer, an article, a brochure - has helped make another ministry easier. It's my part in the big puzzle of life.

Another way I believe I can use my gifts to make a difference is by serving missionaries on the field nationally and internationally by providing the same communications support services I provide on staff at my church. I can help them with developing brochures or prayer cards or websites. The idea occurred to me that I could start to do this myself - which I am - but in doing so, I thought that others in BCA might want to do the same thing.

It renews my passion for communications by being involved in something outside of my regular routine. God has called missionaries to the field, and He has called me to tell stories and to support my church and missions using the gifts He has given me. I have been in touch with the International Mission Board, and they are ready to send us requests from the field...in fact, I've already received more requests than I can fill myself. Would you like to help serve in this way? Right now, I have a couple of requests for assistance in getting websites started - one in a secure area of the world. These requests can be filled by those of us who are willing to be used.

I know we all have a lot on our plates. But I don't think God gave me a vision for connecting missionaries' communications needs with communications specialists for naught. Just send me an email (stacey@pleasantvalley.org) and let me know you would be interested in learning more or in being added to a list of those who would consider requests as they are made available. With technology and communications as they are in the 21st century, travel might not even be necessary - although I'd love the opportunity to travel if the need calls for it in the future! We can do much of what we do with phone and internet.

As someone who generally likes to have a solid plan when starting a project, I find that God usually prefers that I take one step at a time and have faith in Him as I journey down the road to the goal. I'd love to have some company on this mission journey!

According to a popular church marketing website they found nearly half the audience of a web site doesn't get their content on the web site. Up next was the 24% who turn to RSS. After that comes social media with 14% enjoying @cmsucks on Twitter and 8% partaking on Facebook.

Take our poll: Which medium do you think best works for you for your BCA news and relationships?

1. Right here on www.baptistcommunicators.org
2. RSS reader: feed://www.baptistcommunicators.org/rss/BCAnews.xml
3. Twitter @BaptistComm
4. Facebook fan page (we have a member page too)

E-mail your response to me, and we'll tally the total votes on Nov. 16.

Traffic. Economy. Time. Budget cuts. Schedule. Workload. It can be tough these days to attend a continuing education conference - especially if it's out of town! Good news - we're all in the same boat. You're not floating out there alone.

Your BCA officers met recently and considered some great ideas to help our members with this issue. While we're still in the early planning stages, potential solutions include offering mini-workshops on location in various states as well as webinars hosted by fellow members and well-known speakers on hot topics. As we nail down the details of this future option for BCA, we welcome your thoughts and topic suggestions. Please send them to Brenda Rick Smith at brenda.smith@kybaptist.org.

In the meantime, however, here are a few sites offering helpful webinars now:

1. PRINT Magazine has several interesting topics:
   • Creative Freelancer: Controlling the Money Conversation with Clients
   • Fonts that Click: The Present and Future of Using Type on the Web
   • From Print to Web: Translating Your Skills to News Media and Markets
   • 5 Ways to Use Social Marketing to Build Your Business
2. Poynter Online covers topics for writers:
   • Building a Twitter Strategy for Your News Organization
   • Video News Editing: The Remixer Game
   • Reporting Global Issues Locally
3. Lynda.com is another online tool for program and software training at your seat:
   • Lynda.com
   • Lynda.com Blog

Perhaps the loudest cheers for social media are how it opens up the conversation not only in number of voices, but speed. A few weeks ago, Twitter officially exploded onto the SBC scene with pastors (yes) young and (but wait a minute) older signing up to post their thoughts during sessions at the SBC annual meeting. President Johnny Hunt's blessing on Twitter the day after the SBC ended (@johnnymhunt) practically made it an institution of pastoral communications.

But what if that same openness can lead to danger? In an effort to head off trouble caused by well-intentioned messages via outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, the International Mission Board added a new element to missionary training recently - how to use social media wisely.

"It is a concern," said Wendy Norvelle, spokesperson for the IMB. "Right now we have 54 percent of missionaries working in areas where they need to be cautious in how they communicate. In April we talked to missionaries about adjusting their privacy settings and being sure who they consider a 'friend.' On their profile, we encouraged them to use the 'limited' profile and disable some options that could inhibit their ministry."

The mirage of a smaller-than-actual audience is the biggest threat. College-age missionaries serving overseas may have to fight against their own culture of sharing almost-all online.

Warren Skinner, consultant for Collegiate Ministries of the Georgia Baptist Convention, said so far there have been no instances of student missionaries from his state placing themselves in harm's way via tweet or status update.

"We've addressed it for several years now [in training] and make them aware of what's appropriate to share and what's not. They know to be careful about posting personal information on the missionaries they're serving with and anything that might compromise that ministry," he said.

Journalists may be tempted to contact missionaries through social media when their part of the world is in the news, such as with the recent unrest in Honduras. Norvelle asks media to help in protecting their status.

"One of the things we tell our personnel is to not pass judgement on governmental actions," she said. "Taking political stances is simply not helpful. We tell them to be very careful about what they say [online] about such events.

"We also ask that any stories written about them are ministry-related and not political. If a missionary says something that can be seen as politically-charged, I wouldn't mind if journalists even chided them a little for it."