Sounds Good to Be.

“Word of mouth is the counselor
There is no need for proof
In a world that’s wired for sound
The tongue becomes the mighty sword
That battles the truth
In a world that’s wired for sound
Wisdom from the sacred page
Is turned and ignored
In a world that’s wired for sound” ~Michael W. Smith

Overview

These days sounds are everywhere; we can’t seem to escape the noise that filters our lives. At home it may be the television, computer, dishwasher, kids screaming, video game consoles–you name it. In your car it may your stereo or the person you’re talking to on your cell phone. At work it could be anything from factory machines to the constant chatter of customers at a retail store. We truly are a world that’s wired for sound. We instantly recognize certain sounds too–such as a siren from an emergency vehicle, our ringtone from our cell phone, our best friends voice, or the hum of our car running. There is also another type of sound that influences us greatly that we often overlook–the messages and thoughts that we let into our subconscious. These messages are surround us as well. They are found in the media, books, magazines, news outlets, schools, our peers, our friends, our mentors, the music we listen to, and our family members. Whether we acknowledge it or not–these messages shape who we are today–some are practical, wise, and positive; while others are destructive, hurtful, deceitful, and just plain useless. This is why Sound Bites was founded to get the important messages correlated back to you. The other main reasons this ministry exists:

• To give you a small dose of inspiration or a thought as you go through your day.
• To keep you connected to SHOUT IT Ministries every day providing you with new and thought-provoking content
• To help build a vibrant and stronger community of believers on the SHOUT IT Ministries Community Page
• To give you a platform to let your voice be heard on many different topics, ideas, and current news that we as the body of Christ are faced with today.

Why the Title: “Sound Bites?”

What is a Sound Bite? An actual sound bite is used in regard to the film and broadcasting industries. It’s a very short piece of speech taken from a longer speech or interview. Here a sound bite is a small dose/chunk/bit of inspirational thought in the form of a quote, picture, Bible verse, website link, etc. that will enhance your walk with Christ. In many ways, it’s the same basic concept–taking a small piece from the larger piece that can be found throughout SHOUT IT Ministries. The heart of the messages and thoughts that are relayed back to you mirror the much larger scope of messages found throughout the site. The name was also choosen because it deals with the concept of sound and this is SHOUT IT Ministries. What more needs to be said, right?!

The Slogan: “Sounds Good to Be.”

This slogan is obviously a play on words from the phrase, “It sounds good to me”, which is what you’ll tell someone if you like what you hear. Also it relays back the core message of SHOUT IT Ministries in general. The emphasis is on who you become more than knowing or doing. Being the Truth. Becoming more and more like Christ every day. Each “Sound Bite” you’ll receive will help you in this pursuit of becoming. Each one will be beneficial and strengthen your overall walk with Christ.

The Themes of Each Day:

Each Day of the week will be themed to give you a more narrow scope of the Christian worldview. There will be plenty of variety, a vast array of different topics/areas looked at, and many different ways the information will be presented. Here is the outlook of each week:

Music Made Mondays

The Focus: Worship topics/news/insights, Musical artists, Album reviews, music videos, thoughts behind music lyrics.

Together Transforming Tomorrow Tuesdays

The Focus: Ways to reach the community in the form of outreach programs, service projects, charities, donations, thoughts on love, community, fellowship.

Websites with Wisdom Wednesdays

The Focus: A website or feature on a website that offers wisdom, guidance, Christian living thoughts, or is a strong resource for the overall Christian worldview. Blogs, church websites, commentaries, community forums—are all included as well.

Taking Time for Thanks Thursdays

The Focus: Thoughts, concepts, Scripture verses, pictures, blogs, videos on how to be Grateful. Worship principles also discussed as well.

Following in His Footsteps Fridays

The Focus: Your weekly inspirational thoughts on discipleship, drawing closer to God, prayer, reading His Word, daily practices through videos, pictures, quotes, etc.

Seeking the Savior Saturdays

The Focus: Recommendations on Christian books, authors, writers, and book excerpts for you to read to grow in the faith.

Setting Sight on Scripture Sundays

The Focus: A Bible verse or passage is provided along with the inspirational thought(s) and ideas that correlate to it. Basically what it means to us today and how we can apply it into our everyday lives.

What Features Will Be Included?

• Videos
• Pictures
• Links
• Excerpts from books, blogs
• Quotes
• Bible Verses/Passages
• Music Lyrics
• And much more!

How Often Will There Be New Sound Bites?

This is a daily ministry, the first for SHOUT IT Ministries. There will be at one new entry every day relating to that specific day’s theme. On rare occasion there will be more than one entry, depending on what God has laid on our hearts to share for that day. The time of day a Sound Bite will be added will vary, but generally they will be posted either in the morning or by mid-afternoon at the latest. Also there will be a few days a year where there will be no entry at all— such as major holidays or vacation weeks. You will be notified beforehand when there will be no added content for a day or stretch of time.

What Will Be the Length of Each Sound Bite?

The length will vary from day to day depending on the subject matter. But the goal is to give you small pieces and thoughts to give you for each new day. A few paragraphs will be the most content you’ll be given, but expect on average a few sentences to a paragraph along with the complementary material that may come with it.

Facebook: Instant Updates

There are two ways to receive new updates for Sound Bites. One way to is constantly check the Sound Bites page throughout the day when you’re visting SHOUT IT Ministries. Or if you’re on Facebook frequently, become a member of the growing SHOUT IT Ministries Community page. You’ll receive instant updates as soon as a new Sound Bite is added along with news updates, new content notifications on everything within this site, and notifications on what’s upcoming(For more on the Community Page visit this link). What’s more is that most Sound Bites will contain some if not all the “Sound Bite” in the Facebook update itself, so you don’t even have to visit this site if you choose not to. “Like” us today!

Do I Have Any Input in this Ministry?

Absolutely! There are two ways to speak your mind on the “Sound Bite” of the day–right here on this website by commenting or share your thoughts through the SHOUT IT Ministries community page itself.

Final Thoughts

Our prayer is that this ministry really helps you grow in your walk with Christ. With all the noise and distractions in our lives, it’s good to just slow down and focus in on what’s really important. Make the most of what you read and come across with these daily Sound Bites. Some will be mere whispers you encounter for that day, others will resonate with you loud and clear. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions please feel free to Contact Us. Doesn’t it sound good to be?!”