The first time I met Fred was in a random hotel in Austin.

…

I’d like to just leave it there for suspense and intrigue, that that might get a bit sketchy…

We met because I was discussing a new worship website and wanted his insight and input. Now that I come to think of it, I can’t even remember how we got connected, but it must have been online.

He’s doing some great stuff and is leading community through the gifts and talents that the Lord has given him.

Here’s a Friday 5 to you Fred.

Name:

Fred McKinnon

Blog/Websites:

Blog:

http://www.fredmckinnon.com

Websites:

http://www.theworshipcommunity.com

http://www.highestpraise.com

http://www.e-businessonline.com (and a long list of others, I doubt you want them all, right?)

Time Bandits or Favorite Websites:

Twitter is a time bandit for me. It’s a blessing and a curse. I love the direct interaction, community, and networking. At the same time, I spend far too much time reading and responding to it.

Favorite Websites:

TheWorshipCommunity.Com – even though I started this site, I love it. I find encouragement and life in worship ministry there.

PlanningCenterOnline.Com is another favorite – I use it in my work and can’t imagine life without it now. FBI/Military TV shows are another time bandit. I’m a junkie for 24, The Unit, NCIS, The Mentalist, NUMBERS, and Survivor.

Thank God for DVR.

Whatcha working on?

A re-launch of HighestPraise.Com. This was my first site, and the home base for my corporation, Highest Praise Productions, Inc. We’re slowly migrating it from a static HTML site to a dynamic site driven by WordPress and a custom Song Database.

With this new launch (slated for 1st-2nd week of March, 2009) Highest Praise will resume the mission it started, offering worship resources to the church, specifically, original praise and worship music by grassroots songwriters and worship leaders.

I’m also working up a launch (currently live but not designed) of E-BusinessOnline.Com, a portal for discussion of e-commerce and e-biz. As an entrepreneur, I’ve operated several online companies and currently manage serveral e-commerce websites. One thing I’ve lacked is a common place to discuss issues pertaining to online business, legalities, logistics, vendors, merchant issues, etc. Just as TheWorshipCommunity.Com has become a destination for people in worship ministry to “discuss everything worship”, I’m hoping E-BusinessOnline.Com will become that destination for those trying to earn income online.

How do you see Web Technology Impacting the Kingdom?

I see it impacting the Kingdom in both positive and negative ways.

Positive ways include increased networking and unity through the Body of Christ. Web Technology makes it easier to create, share, and collaborate with our gifts.

Sadly, I think web technology is so cool and addicting that it becomes a “time bandit” for us. We spend more time blogging, reading other blogs, or telling our life events in 140 characters, and way less time unplugged, in solitude, in Bible Study, prayer, and personal worship.

This grieves my heart and I’m the chief of sinners. I applaud some of the well-known bloggers and web-tech heroes who have recently unplugged for a season to gain perspective and direction.