The Table Project Blog

Table Tip: Let's Share

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:00 -0500

As kids we learn how to share, but somehow we forget by the time we grow up. As a result our homes are packed with stuff we rarely use. Maybe we use it a few times a year or just once and then never again. Maybe it's time to start sharing again.

Use the Table's Serve App to post stuff you're willing to share. You're not giving it away, you're just letting someone borrow it (read more about how the Serve App works).

Here's how to do it:

Take Stock: Walk around your house with a digital camera and take pictures of stuff you'd be willing to let someone else use: Tools, camping equipment, media (books/DVDs/video games), sports equipment, baby stuff, etc. (see 10 Ways the Serve App Can Get You Sharing). You don't need to collect stuff, you're just cataloging what you have available to share.
Post It: Add those items to the Serve App. Include details and any helpful info.
Start Sharing: As people respond and ask to borrow your stuff, coordinate and make it happen. The easiest thing to do is start bringing requested items to church on Sunday so nobody has to make an extra trip.

It's time for the church to bring back sharing.

Top 10 Interests

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:25:00 -0500

Adding interests to your profile is an easy way to connect with others and find people who like the same stuff as you.

Here are the top 10 most popular interests on the Table:

1. Reading
2. Music
3. Cooking
4. Family
5. Photography
6. Hiking
7. Movies
8. Running
9. Camping
10. Gardening

If you haven't added interests to your profile, do it today. Here's a quick overview of the benefits of adding your interests.

How Can I Help?

Fri, 11 May 2012 07:47:00 -0500

The Table's Serve App is encouraging sharing and helping like we see in Acts 2. Join us for next week's Round Table webinar as we'll talk about making the most of the Serve App in your church. It's a simple way to make volunteer needs known and share stuff. We’ll talk about how to encourage a sharing movement that is both biblical and counter-cultural. We’ll look at examples, ways to use the Serve App and ways to encourage its use.

The Table at DC12

Thu, 10 May 2012 09:22:00 -0500

Last week our Executive Director Ken Finsaas and Customer Service Guru Caleb Rotach headed to Texas for the 2012 Dynamic Church Conference. In addition to manning the Table booth and connecting with our users, Ken and Caleb did two hour-long presentations. They had the chance to share our new prayer video and hear stories face to face from our users (we love stories!).

The team behind the Dynamic Church Conference and the Fellowship One church management software even gave us a show of support as Jeff Hook, general manager of Fellowship Technologies, a part of Active Network, strongly re-affirmed the strategic partnership between the Table Project and Fellowship One speaking of the Table as "our social strategy."

It was a fun week and a good chance to share the Table with churches.

Table Tip: Privacy

Wed, 09 May 2012 07:30:00 -0500

The Table is designed to be a private, local community. While nothing online is 100% private, the Table offers smaller community that's more local, more connected, more trusting and more private than what you'll find on Facebook.

That means you can open up. Go ahead, be brave. Share your struggles with your small group. Ask your church for prayer about a sensitive issue that you wouldn't post for the world to see. It's not about gossip or sharing secrets, it's about opening up a little bit more. Not to tell the world and have people gather around and gawk, but to get help, to rely on our fellow believers to support us.

Open Up: Share your struggles with your fellow believers. Ask your church for prayer about a sensitive issue that you wouldn't post for the world to see. It's not about gossip, sharing secrets or one-upmanship, it's about being the body of Christ and supporting one another. We've heard stories of how amazing it can be.
Keep it Small: You can use groups to share your sensitive info with a select few that you trust. Your whole church doesn't need to know the ins and outs of your current trial to pray for you, but maybe you share more details with your small group so they can better support you.
Post Anonymously: If you're really worried about privacy, you can always post a prayer request anonymously. You lose out on some of that relationship-building goodness (nobody will know it's you, so they can't come up and give you encouragement on Sunday morning), but you still get prayer.

Take advantage of the privacy inherent in the Table and open up to your fellow church members.

The Table Goes Global

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:29:00 -0500

The Table Project is not about global connection, we're about local engagement.

But now that local engagement can happen globally: The Table is now available worldwide.

When we launched publicly in 2011 the Table was only available in the United States. We've made some tweaks and cleared some technical hurdles and now churches anywhere in the world can use the Table (assuming they have Internet access and what not).

Check out the Table and sign up your church today.

Note: We want to be clear that while we are making the Table available internationally for the global church, it is not optimized for local use. It's only in English, it's not localized and since we're based in the United States and follow U.S. laws, we may not comply with local privacy or other laws.

In the future we do hope to offer a localized version of the Table that's multilingual and fully global (if you'd like to help with that effort, you can sign up here). But for now the best we can do is at least make the Table available. Also, since we are a nonprofit and make the Table available for free, donations are always appreciated.

Those caveats aside, we're excited to offer the Table globally. We hope you're ready to slay anonymity, champion prayer and squash apathy. Around the world.

Table Tip: Give It Away

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Our closets, basements, garages and storage units are packed with stuff we don't really need. Some of it's junk (your broken TV? Come on, get rid of it!), but there's a lot useful stuff in there that someone else could use. If you're never going to use it, maybe it's time to give it away.

You can use the Table's Serve App to post stuff you're willing to give away (read more about how the Serve App works). Not only are you cleaning out your own stuff, but you're helping somebody else out. Plus, the Table is a smaller, safer community than Craigslist, so you don't have to worry about the creepy stories.

Here's how to do it:

What have you got?: Go through your closets, basement, storage unit, junk drawer—whatever—and see what you have that you don't really need. Grab a digital camera or phone equipped with a camera and take some pics.
Post It: Add that stuff to the Serve App. Post the photo and any helpful details. We've seen all kinds of stuff posted—a laptop, rose bushes, old Christmas decorations, furniture, even dirt. Remember that one person's trash is another person's treasure.
Give It Away: As people respond, connect to hand off your stuff. You can always meet up at church and save an extra a trip.

Your junk pile just got smaller and you met someone else's need. Everybody wins.

The Table in Outreach Magazine & Mission Frontiers

Fri, 04 May 2012 10:30:00 -0500

We've had a few press mentions recently, including Outreach Magazine and Mission Frontiers.

The Table was featured in the March/April 2012 issue of Outreach magazine. We were one of five resources highlighted in a piece titled "What can technology do for you?" Check us out:

(Click to view a larger version)

We were also mentioned in an article in the May-June 2012 issue of Missions Frontiers magazine about the Global Great Commission Network, where we're adapting the Table for missions agencies.

Granger's Numbers

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:15:00 -0500

It's cool to see these kinds of numbers and celebrate with Granger Community Church:

Read more stories about how the Table is being used and share your own.

You Can't Do That on Facebook: Privacy

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:21:00 -0500

People often point to Facebook and wonder why the church would even need the Table. Facebook is ideal for outreach, but it falls short at building community. That's what the Table is all about. We encourage churches to use Facebook and the Table together. But the fact is there are things you can't do on Facebook that the Table is designed to do.

Like privacy.

Privacy on the Table
The Table is a private network. It's not open to the entire world like Facebook is. It's just the people who attend your church. You can find a certain level of intimacy in smaller social networks. Bigger isn't always better. Nothing you post online is 100% private, but the Table is inherently more local, more trusting, more connected.

You can post a prayer request to the Table and know that the whole world won't see it. If it's especially sensitive you can share it within a group instead of your whole church or even post an anonymous prayer request.

Plus, you get that level of privacy without thinking about it. You don't have to check your settings or set up a special group that's exclusive to the people in your church. The network is ready to go.

Privacy on Facebook
You won't find that level of privacy on Facebook. Your church's page is available to the whole world. Anybody can see anything you post there. And that's how it should be—Facebook is more about outreach. But that doesn't leave room for community-building, discipleship or intimate sharing—those activities don't work on a stage.

You can set up more private groups on Facebook or share things to more limited circles of people, but you have to set all that up and it's not automatically connected to your church. It's a lot of work, and when you're sharing something important and private, you shouldn't have to jump through those technological hurdles.

There's also no anonymous on Facebook. You either share it openly or you keep it to yourself.

Privacy Examples
We've seen firsthand how the private community of the Table creates a safe place for sharing and even openness. Here are a few examples:

One couple shared their struggle with infertility on the Prayer Wall. There were more than 35 comments posted and multiple people came up to them on Sunday morning sharing that they'd gone through the same thing.
One person was struggling with depression and thinking about suicide. They posted an anonymous prayer request and had more than 30 comments supporting them and lifting them up in prayer. A couple people even offered to meet in person, making it easy for the anonymous person by saying they'd be at a coffee shop at a specific time.
A private community makes sharing and connecting safer, as we've seen people share airplane rides, connected with roommates and found babysitters.
Sometimes struggling with your faith is not something you want to do in a public Facebook status update, but you still need help and support. That's what Patrick found in the Table as his family was baptized.

Privacy gives you the safety to be more open and honest. You can't do that on Facebook.

iPhone Notifications

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:25:00 -0500

We upgraded our iPhone app with the ability to do notifications. Version 1.1.1 of our iPhone app primarily includes push notification, but also has some other minor updates. If you already have the Table app installed, you can upgrade it by going to the App Store, clicking on Updates and scrolling down to the Table app.

When you upgrade and open the Table app for the first time, it will ask you if you want to allow push notifications. On the web version of the Table, notifications alert you to activity on the Table. On the iPhone app, these notifications can appear within the app, as a numbered badge on the app icon on the home screen, as a pop-up alert and as a sound.

As you can imagine, this is a powerful way to instantly know what's happening in your church.

You can adjust these settings two ways:

1) Within the Table: On the web version of the Table you can access your profile, go to Edit Profile and then Notifications & Email. These recently updated settings allow you to turn notification and email alerts on and off for different aspects of the Table. These settings control notifications for both the web version and the iPhone app. So if you're getting too many notifications about prayers on the iPhone app, this is where you can turn off those notifications.

2) Within the iPhone: On the iPhone itself you can turn different styles (badges, alerts and sounds) of notifications on or off. Go to Settings, Notifications and then to the Table app. Then you can turn the badges, alerts or sounds on and off.

Note that you'll only receive notifications on the iPhone for things that currently work on the iPhone app, namely prayer requests, Serve items, friend requests and quicknotes. Discussion board and photo app notifications, for example, will not appear on the iPhone because they're not a part of our mobile app (Yet! We do hope to add them eventually—one step at a time!).

And for our eager Android friends out there, we do hope to roll this functionality out to our Android app soon, along with some other needed improvements.

May's Table 101

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:30:00 -0500

If you're curious about the Table join us for next week's Table 101 webinar. We'll give a tour of the Table, talk about best practices for launching the Table and take questions at the end. It's a great opportunity to learn more about the Table and see if it's a fit for your church.

We offer the Table 101 on the first Wednesday of every month. The next Table 101 is Wednesday, May 2 at 3 p.m. CDT.

(If you can't make it for the live webinar, check out the archived Table 101 webinar from April.)

So Cool To See Prayer

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:53:00 -0500

When people see how prayer works on the Table, they get excited:

That's why we created the Prayer Video. Check it out if you haven't seen it yet.

Do you have your own story about prayer on the Table? Share it.

Prayer Video: Will You Pray?

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:04:00 -0500

We've created a one-minute video you can use to promote the Table's Prayer Wall to your church. It's a top-notch video dramatizing how powerful it is to know that people are praying for you.

We're now making this video available publicly and there are several ways you can share it with your congregation:

1) Show It On Sunday Morning
Download the video and show it to your congregation during your worship services. It's a short video and powerfully communicates how the Table can impact lives.

You could go a step further and follow up the video with some personal stories of how the Table is impacting your church. We hear lots of stories about the Prayer Wall so there are surely some in your church as well.

2) Share It
Share the video through all your online communication channels. Either download it and create a custom version to share or use the generic version we've uploaded (see details below). Embed the video on your website, share it on Facebook, feature it on YouTube, talk it up on Twitter, plug it in your email newsletter. This is the kind of video people will share, so it's an opportunity to spread the word about your church and the power of prayer.

Here's some sample text you can use to spread the word:

Long form text:

Version 1:
You get that dreaded phone call and you're off to the hospital. While you sit in uncomfortable chairs waiting for more bad news, you feel so alone. But your phone chimes and you've got email—people are praying for you. On the way to the hospital you posted a quick request on the Table's Prayer Wall. You're not alone. That's the power of prayer. Watch this video to see how it works with the Table: [link/embed video]

Version 2:
Prayer changes lives and can deepen and strengthen our community. Will you pray? When you post a simple prayer request to the Table, emails are automatically sent to people in our church who are waiting to pray for you. When they click that ‘Pray Now' button, an email comes back to you—instant encouragement when you need it most. Watch this video to see it in action: [link/embed video]

Version 3:
The Bible tells us to be devoted to prayer, that our prayers are powerful and effective, to pray without end. Jesus asked his disciples to pray with him in his most desperate hour. The Bible tells us that God is attentive to our prayers.

So let's pray! When you post a prayer request to the Prayer Wall on the Table, it closes the loop on the old school prayer chain. People willing to pray are instantly notified, and when they pray you're notified as well, giving you the encouragement you need. Watch this video to see it in action: [link/embed video]

Short form text:

Version 1:
How can we pray for you? Post your needs to the Table. Here's what that kind of encouragement can look like: [link/embed video]

Version 2:
Will you pray? We have requests on the Table that need prayer. Watch this video & see how prayer can impact lives: [link/embed video]

Version 3:
The Table's Prayer Wall is an amazing way we can support and encourage one another. Watch this video to see it in action: [link/embed video]

Get the Video
We've made two versions of the video available.

1) Generic Table Version: This version is meant to be used as is and closes by pointing people to the tableproject.org. If you want to share this video immediately, this is the one to use. You can download the video and then upload it yourself, or just share or embed the versions we've uploaded to several video sites. Notice that this version won't point people specifically to your church's Table, so you might want to add your church's Table url (yourchurch.tableproject.org) to any description or comment text when you share it.

Download: Generic Prayer Video (ZIP, 70 MB)
YouTube / Vimeo / Facebook

2) Customizable Version: This version is meant to be customized by adding your church's logo and Table url at the end. This will require some video editing skills, but the bonus here is that the video can point people directly to your church. If you have the time and skills, we strongly recommend going this route as it will drive people to your church (and that's really the point, right?).

Download: Customizable Prayer Video (ZIP, 380 MB)

Table Tip: Start a Group

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:49:00 -0500

We're firm believers that church is not for spectators. The pastor is not the only who can preach. You don't have to be on staff to do ministry. The church is a body and we all have a role—spectating is not a spiritual gift.

Peter Haas, pastor of Substance Church in Minneapolis, tells a story about ministry happening all by itself. That's what the Table is here to encourage.

So get involved. One easy way to do it is by starting a group.

Existing ministries: Start a group for an existing ministry. This is a good way to organize your efforts and create a consistent place to communicate and connect. Your church's bulletin may not have room for every announcement and update you have, but a group on the Table gives you all the space you need. Post your own updates, prayer needs and volunteer opportunities.
Informal groups: Just because you're not a formal ministry doesn't mean you can't set up a group. Start a group for your book club or knitting group. Maybe it's a group of youth group guys who watch football together on Sundays or young adults who go out to lunch after church. Use your group to plan events, invite new people and share info.
Non-existent groups: Maybe the group you need doesn't exist yet. You can use the Table to pull it together. Maybe you want to connect stay-at-home parents, bikers or musicians. Search the people directory for skills and interests and invite people to join you. Use the discussion board to get organized, post events, share stuff and serve one another.

Church isn't supposed to be passive. Get involved and start a group today.

You Can't Do That on Facebook: Groups Directory

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:50:00 -0500

Like having a groups directory.

You can set up as many groups as you want on the Table. They can be official ministry groups like women's ministry, youth group or your small group, or they can be fun groups based on interests, like football fans, music heads or knitters. You can designate official groups and even make groups private.

You can create the same kinds of groups on Facebook. But good luck finding them. There's no connection between those groups and your church. If someone visits your church's Facebook Page, there's no automatic way to find all your groups. That makes connecting and plugging in kind of hard. There might be some manual work arounds, but that's staff time to set up, requires constant maintenance and discourages people from setting up their own groups.

But it's different on the Table. There's an entire directory of groups:

You can browse through them all to find the group for you.
You can search for a group that might appeal to your interests.
You can launch your own group and invite others to join you.

You can do groups on Facebook, but you can't do interconnected groups. Which is really what happens in church, right? You've got your entire church, but then you have all kinds of groups within your church. The Table's groups directory was designed with that in mind: Simple groups that are easy to find and encourage connection.

Webinar: Let's Pray

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:16:00 -0500

Prayer is one of the most vital and most popular apps on the Table. We hear so many stories of people being encouraged, supported and lifted up through the Prayer Wall. For this webinar we walk through the Prayer Wall, talking about how your church can get the most out of the Prayer Wall. We talk about why prayer on the Table is so revolutionary and how you can do more with it. We talk about searching for prayers, exploring the history of prayers and notifications. We also talk about more involved uses, like integrating the Prayer Wall with your prayer ministry and using the Prayer Wall in groups.

We've also got two versions of this webinar. You can get the full 25-minute version or watch this quick, 8-minute version:

How Fast Can We Launch?

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:54:00 -0500

Bob is the family pastor at Kenosha First Assembly. He oversees the serving ministries and was meeting with his leaders when someone asked, "How do we get the word out and communicate to our people about the needs here in our church and in our community?"

Bob had already done some research and showed them the Table Project. Heads were nodding and faces smiling. Their first question was, "How fast can we get this thing going?"

Watch Bob's story:

What's your story?

You Can't Do That on Facebook: Map Your Church Members

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:37:00 -0500

Like mapping your congregation.

The Table offers a map view of all the people in your church. There they are, little people icons spread across the map. Each one gives you a general idea where people in your church live (icons are shown within a half-mile of the actual address to protect privacy).

You can see who in your church lives in your neighborhood.
You can plan a small group or an evening hang out based on location.
You can find a central location to have a meeting.

It makes planning and connecting that much easier. You can't do that on Facebook. And with a worldwide social network, you probably wouldn't want to. Sometimes smaller is better.

You Can't Do That on Facebook: Church Directory

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:15:00 -0500

Like having a church directory.

The Table gives you a picture directory of your church. It's an easy way to connect with your congregation, whether you're meeting an old friend or getting to know a new one. You can learn names, search for interests and skills and even find contact information.

Not so much on Facebook. If your church has a Facebook Page, the best you can see is your fellow friends who also like the church page or maybe you can click on people who comment. But there's no easy way to meet people you don't know. There's no way to see all the people in your church. There's no way to connect and interact, unless you're already friends.

But with the Table's directory, you can do so much more:

You can find and connect with new people.
You can search for interests and invite people to join a new group.
You can use the random feature to learn names.
You can use the map to find out who lives in your neighborhood.
You can use your mobile device to look someone up when you forget their name.

There are all these ways to connect as a body. You can't do any of that on Facebook.