Paying More Won’t Make Your Domain More Valuable

I recently transferred a domain name from SiteGround To NameCheap. This post will explain how to do that and give you compelling reasons why you should.

I own several undeveloped domain names, one of which is my avatar name, ennisp. I decided to buy the name because it is the one I use almost exclusively for my profile on registered accounts. It’s also my name so it made sense to buy it.

I bought it originally through SiteGround. SiteGround was hosting my developed sites, like this one, and I really enjoyed their service. Registering names in the same place was convenient. It made sense, or so I thought.

I’ve learned since that SiteGround isn’t a registrar. They resell Tucows registration service which means they buy the service inexpensively and resell higher.

If you didn’t know, domains are registered by the year. You can renew for multiple years but you pay for registration by the year. The problem with SiteGround registrations becomes apparent when renewal is up.

That’s when the gouge comes.

I received notification that my domain, ennisp.com, was up for renewal and would auto renew in 30 days. The price was also listed and it really surprised me.

• Annual registration: $14.95
• Privacy: $24.00

Almost $40 just to renew a name I hadn’t developed yet! The renewal rate was about standard but the privacy was about twice the industry norm.

I had to go elsewhere.

And it just so happened that a friend had recently renewed through NameCheap and the total cost for renewal and privacy was about $10! A savings of $30. I’m in!

But, of course, to use NameCheap I had to transfer the name to the NameCheap servers. Sounds a bit daunting but here’s how it’s done.

Transfer Process

Domain services are standardized so the procedure for transferring names from one service to another is the same for all. [Read more…] about How To Transfer Domains To NameCheap

Leaders Who Serve Connect The Highest And Lowest Organizational Levels

My small group watched a DVD recently in which the speaker mentioned Servant Leadership several times, without explanation. The assumption was everyone understood.

During the discussion that followed one of the participants, a good friend, asked:

What is servant leadership?

Good question and I knew the answer, kind of. I was familiar with the term but had never really thought about it in detail. I knew it was generally based on the example of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet but beyond that, not much.

I did answer the question, though, and even as I answered I realized how little real thinking I had done on the subject.

In typical sound-clever-waffle-much fashion, my answer was a bit long.

My friend, the one who asked the question (and does business training by profession), gently reminded me that long-winded answers usually indicate a lack of understanding.

He was right.

Following that discussion, I made a point of investigating the topic for myself. [Read more…] about 2 Foundational Underpinnings Of Servant Leadership

Gospel Leaflets Don’t Correspond To Growling Stomachs

Strategy is often treated with ambivalence by Christians.

It isn’t difficult to understand. Strategy simply refers to the plans we make for reaching specific goals. A good strategy keeps you focused and efficient. We all understand that. It’s a good idea.

The rub comes because we worry that planning on a human level may be at odds with planning on a divine level, and we don’t want to interfere.

So I let’s take a look at the concept of strategy and answer a few questions:

• Should we be strategic?
• Is being strategic the same as being biblical?
• Is being strategic spiritual or is it just mechanical?
• Is human strategy by nature in conflict with divine strategy?

The short answer is make a plan and work it as well as you can without forcing it. Circumstances have a way of guiding us through the process.

But the answer needs more detail and to find it we need look no further than the Apostle Paul. [Read more…] about 3 Strategies For Christian Outreach

Jesus Made The Church Simple Humans Complicated It

When a person first becomes a Christian they simultaneously develop an interest in church. Not traditional church. Not denominational structures or buildings but gathering.

With a new heart comes a strong sense of belonging and Christians naturally gravitate to church, wandering blindly into different settings not really knowing what to expect.

New believers aren’t looking for the historical church or traditional church or formal or modern or liberal or conservative church. Mega or mini isn’t the issue. It’s church. It’s a place to gather. They go, and often find themselves fitting in somewhere.

The churches to which they attach can be quite different but there are basic qualities that should be evident wherever they land. This post lists several.

The following ideas are taken from Matthew 18:15-25 which you can read here. [Read more…] about 8 Basic Truths About Church