I signed up for PPP!

We here at The Kummeropolis want to keep our readers informed. (Don't ask why I am using "we" and "our" to refer only to myself, I guess it's getting late.) So, I want to let you know a little about the monetization of my blogging empire.

I've been hearing about a blog marketing company called payperpost for several months. Some of the probloggers who I follow swear by this service to make a little side cash on their blog. Recently, I wrote about how AdSense is junk. So I thought you guys would like to hear about Pay Per Post.

But first let me detail some blog $$$ that don't really work:

• Amazon Associates. It makes a lot of sense, but the only stuff I ever get commission on is my own purchases.
• ad sense: There are so many people shooting low bids and "made for ad sense" pages that most publishers are making pennies on the click.
• Text Link Ads: You need a PageRank of 5+ to get anyone interested.
• Donation Buttons: Never tried it but I am really skeptical.
  

How does payperpost work? You sign up your blog and they give you opportunities to get paid for writing reviews of products or services. I was only approved a few days back and haven't seen any compelling offers yet. But if they want to pay me to review something I think it's a good deal. There are also some disclosure requirements, which I think makes for a better service. When I look back at all the hours I've been blogging, I wish I had more $$$ to show for it. Maybe an occasional paid host will improve that.

The user interface for payperpost is very clean and intuitive. Once your a member you can see all the available offers. They even show offers that would have been available if the other "Posties" hadn't grabbed them first. I can see at least a few that would fit in with my blog here. As you prove yourself you get better opportunities. It's kinda like gaining street credit. Looking over the list again, I think I will be able to make some money from this deal.

So, I'll keep you posted on the big money. Although it looks like you need decent traffic and PageRank to get the bigger offers. Most of the stuff I've seen so far is between $5 - $20 per post. I guess that will buy a new book for Fall Semester.

Blog Bully

Do You Blog For $$$

Is anyone making money on their blogs?

I have been playing around with Google Adsense to cover some hosting costs associated with my 'real' websites. But the total intake has been very small. For example this site had over 2K page views and less than ten ad clicks - the payoff? It was well under a dollar.

Why so small? I've read some on this and here is what I have concluded:

1. Most people reading my site are bloggers too. They have been conditioned by many hours no the internet to screen out Google Ads.
2. My topics are low paying for Adsense. Google Adwords clients are not paying high prices to attract reformed evangelical readers. So, you - the readers - who are attracted to this weird Tony Kummer website are not a lucrative market.

I wrote all that to annoPublish Postunce that I'm taking down my Ads by Google on this site. If I come up with a better scheme to pay for my web hosting - I'll let you know.

Video - It's Your Time For Firefox, plus 4 reasons

I've had Firefox since its beta version. Hands down this is the best browser in the history of the universe - ok, that was a little strong. Enjoy this video ... then download Firefox. (Look for a link in my sidebar.)

4 Reasons To Get Firefox

1. Tab Browsing: Nothing multi tasks better than Firefox.
2. Spell checking on blog comments.
3. Cool factor: IE is for corporate clogs.
4. Security: Studies show that 73% of Sith are intimidated by Firefox.

Using Stolen Bandwidth For Evangelism

Read how Alex Chediak turned the tables on a bandwidth pirate.

I Was Hoping For An "R"

Mingle²

Moving To WordPress

As of today . . . I've transfered my blog to WordPress.com

The features and presentation are superior to blogger in nearly every way. I will leave this blog up as an archive but all posts have been transfered to the new blog as well.

I started this blog 8/10/2005 and have posted 142 times.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll join me on the new site.

Blog Spotting - children's ministry and parenting

One thing I'd like to do with this site is point people to children's ministry blogs that I find useful. Not all of these are strong in every area. Some have great practical advice for leadership and administration of children's ministry. Some give help for creative Bible teaching to children. Some focus on more on leading children to Christ and evangelism. For example, you wouldn't read my blog for expert ideas about doing crafts. Why? Any crafts we do are given to more capable leader volunteers. That being said, here are my new favorite parenting and children's ministry blogs.

Sinners Raising Saint is my favorite new parenting blog. The couple who runs it are humble, intelligent and God-centered.

The Children's Hour offers comments and recommendations for books for reading to children, particularly books on the bible, history and good fiction by Ray Van Neste. He is seminary professor and pastor. Most importantly he reads heroic books to his boys.

For the Generation to Come, devoted to equipping and encouraging Christian parents in discipling their children. This site has more of a home school angle.

Ok . . . you talked me into it. I'm going to feature all these feeds on my aggregator.

New blogs discovered

2 hours. That's about how much time I've spent reading blogs this winter. But last night I discovered a few worth watching. I'm glad to see more parents talking about raising God-centered kids.

• For the Generation to Come: devoted to equipping and encouraging Christian parents in discipling their children
• Sinners Raising Saints: Many and various lessons in parenthood
• Paul Tripp Ministries: Thoughts for daily life, information on ministry events, and updates on everyday life resources.
• The Children's Hour: Comments and recommendations for books for reading to children, particularly books on the bible, history and good fiction

Staying Focused, some thoughts about blogging.

I have written previously about why I blog. I have been thinking tonight about some reasons why I should not blog. Reflecting on how we spend our time should be a normal practice for believers. Remember the Bible warns us to “redeem the time.” But tonight a few passages in 2 Timothy caught my attention.

2Timothy 2:4 “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.”

2Timothy 2:23-25 “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.”

Believers, and specifically pastors, should refrain from certain unhelpful debates. I’ve noticed the best way to get links and build blog traffic is to participate (or start) a controversy. This may be a gray area for many. But I am making a new policy for my posts. All posts must relate to the stated purpose of this blog or be plainly edifying if off topic. This will rule out a lot of what I have posted last week. I think I will revise former posts as appropriate. Sorry for any broken links.

Will The Next Generation Treasure Christ? is a dialog on reforming children’s ministry and equipping parents - for the glory of Christ and the joy of our children.

Introducing the Blogger's Acolyte

OK, Tony asked me to include a brief life story. In the interest of keeping things interesting (which, since I have no Regatta pictures, is a little tougher for me), I figured I’d post multiple life stories and let the readers try to guess.

A. A Bohemian gangsta rap artist who lives in Keokuk, Iowa. I relocated to the Hawkeye State after completing Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s extension in Monaco.

B. Recently relocated to the St. Louis area (where I grew up) after finishing my M.Div. at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in the Memphis, Tennessee area, and am volunteering in children’s ministry in the StL.

C. A native of St. Thomas, I was an MK in Antarctica for most of my youth. After finishing up at The REALLY Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, I returned to the island last year following an unsuccessful run for public office on the Pole.

If you guessed “B,” good for you. That may seem a little boring compared to the other life stories, but it really hasn’t been.

Rather than bore you all with an exhaustive bio, I’ll stick to my experience in children’s ministry [CM]. I will say that I’ve been a Christian for much of my life, and been working with children in some capacity since I was a youth. When I began seminary, I had no thoughts of being involved in CM—I really wasn’t even thinking about its existence as a specific ministry area. However, in the fall of 2001 I began volunteering in the CM at a church in Olive Branch, Mississippi—a suburb of Memphis—first with preschoolers and then with elementary age children—the experience was incredible. I continued with that beyond my graduation in May 2004, and even as other circumstances changed my life, I came to see that CM would have a greater role in my life than how I served during seminary. In the spring of 2005, I began seeing myself more as a would-be children’s pastor rather than in education ministry (although I think there’s more of an overlap here than most people realize.)

My passion is to set Christ before our children so that they see Him not as a means to an end, but as their Satisfaction, their Treasure, and their Passion—and to show how the Bible applies to their everyday lives in the home, at school, on the soccer field, and in every relationship and involvement in their lives. More soon on my vision for CM and what I am praying for in a church. Soon on the resolutions, also, and more on Christian Hedonism in children's ministry.

(BTW, Tony…if you’re reading this Saturday morning, press through…you’ve completed the first 20 miles of the marathon…keep running…dig! Dig! Dig! If you’re reading this Saturday evening or sometime thereafter, congratulations. You’ve completed the course. Or, in the words of those great Irish poets, “It’s a beautiful day…”)

Humbled at the Library, some healthy depreciation gained at Southern

We all want to be famous writers and make a name for ourselves.

Sometimes.

But spending a few hours at the Seminary library often has a deflating effect on my ambitions. Book after book, all sitting in silent testimony to the words of Ecclesiastes.

The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. (Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 ESV)

So why do I blog? First, it is an exercise in expression. I will keep writing even if I never get published Why? Because letters, church newsletters, emails, policy manuals, academic papers and sermon manuscripts all require skill at using words. Blogging can help improve this.

Second, it is a way to refine my ideas. I often struggle to think clearly. But when I transmit my thoughts by writing I often improve their clarity. This is an important exercise. My ministry to children requires very clear thinking to communicate on appropriate levels to the kids.

Third, it is my way of exchanging ideas. I am intentional both post my blog but to comment on other blogs. This dialogue can sharpen both parties. Often the overheated disputations of the blogosphere can be instructive – if you will think critically through the arguments of those involved.

So, I am humbled – SBTS library will not own my words anytime soon. But that just means they will never be passed over by seminary students looking for the best books.

Will The Next Generation Treasure Christ? is a dialog on reforming children’s ministry and equipping parents - for the glory of Christ and the joy of our children.

Servetus Tactic: Defined and Exposed

The Servetus tactic is an excellent way to make a name for yourself or your blog. Here is the exclusive "How To Guide." It is based on the old proverb, “All press is good press.” Being an actual heritic is not requrired, but it does help.

1. Find an enemy
2. Enter their Geneva - aka their comment section.
3. Call for debate
4. Get martyred
5. Enjoy being infamous – at least for a few days.

I am not saying this is a bad practice. But we need to be honest.

“I’m a prophet by trade, but a salesman by blood.” Derek Webb

We need to laugh about the bizarre sociology created by technology.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am guilty of the Servetus tactic myself. Last Christmas, I started a little blog-war with a friend about Santa Claus. I took the position in favor of Santa, arguing that imagination is not the enemy of Christ. I had C.S. Lewis for support. But my Calvin bested me and Santa was - - convicted of heresy. See the trail HERE

SPECIAL BONUS SECTION:
Top Ten (Plus One) Ways to Build Blog Traffic by leaving comments.

1. Start a controversy with a good blog
2. Use overheated language
3. Violate the 9th commandment
4. Get angry
5. Reinterpret history
6. Pronounce anathema
7. Quote Spurgeon out of context
8. Play the martyr
9. Quote private emails
10. Be quick to speak and slow to listen
11. Always - Link back to your own blog

Welcome and a Short History

Welcome,

At this point I do not think I have many intentional readers so I will be brief.

This is not a real estate website. Sorry go here for real estate.

About a month ago I started a my first weblog. It was a little joke aimed at my friends who take their blogs too seriously. It ended up making some other people very upset and taught me a great deal about blog-culture. Yes, there is a blog-culture and it is a sociological circus. Just ask Phil.

What I want to do with this weblog is promote a reformation of Children’s Ministry. I believe that is where God is calling me to work, as a father and as a Children’s Pastor.

Any comments, suggestions or criticism are welcome.