Communicating for a Cause

Lack of Resources = Innovation

I just love entreprenuers. There's almost this iron will of determination, hope and blind optimism that leaves most people just shaking their heads & thinking we're crazy.

For me, church planting is essentially the same thing. I believe the innovation and creativity born out of not ever having enough resources [money, people or time] leads to some of the most amazing problem-solving skills and breakthrough ideas. "Ministry MacGyvers," if you will. Sometimes it may be duct-taped together, but we'll make it work!

Seth Godin talks a bit about this in a recent post about marketing budgets, but I think applies even more to ministry development.

• First rule: great product development and marketing almost always comes from organizations that don't have enough money. Having less money keeps you from trying to buy your way out of trouble.

• Second rule: learning to live with less money means you will develop skills and resources instead of buying them. And it means that when you have less money (again), you'll be prepared.

Viva Siestas

So, I'm doing a bit more research on an article I'm working on when I came across this great lens on Squidoo...

Naps are a good thing.

Keith and I experienced this when we decided to "do as the Romans do" when we were in Italy. We really got into this whole afternoon siesta deal. I mean, c'mon... Europeans have got it right. Most of us work crazy hours anyway. [heck, it's after 1 am now] Why can't we all just take a break for a couple of hours after lunch everyday?

Studies show it actually helps to make us more productive. According to the National Sleep Foundation:

• The average adult sleeps under 7 hours a night during a work week.
• 33% of adults surveyed sleep only 6-1/2 hours nightly.
• 40% of adults admit that the quality of their work suffers when they're sleepy.
• 68% say their ability to concentrate is diminished by sleepiness.
• 19% report making mistakes and errors due to sleepiness.
• Sleepy drivers cause approximately 100,000 car crashes annually.
• 33% of adults surveyed would nap at work, if allowed.

We actually tried the last bullet point, but the phone kept ringing.

It's the Little Things

Okay, we've all heard it before. It pays to be nice. And apparently when it's intentional--with a pay it forward mindset--it can really make a difference.

I just read an article in the Mining Gazette [yes, you got the name right] about a town in Michigan that decided the best way to increase tourism was with positive word of mouth buzz.

And what they did was just simple stuff. Having extra maps of the area in their cars, helping stranded motorists, offering suggestions of where to get the best pasty. [I have no idea what that is, but imagine it's important to know where the good ones are] I'd imagine folks were so amazed the locals would go out of their way to help an "outsider," they told all their friends.

This got me thinking. How often are we intentional about this in ministry?

In the article, it wasn't just the town council/Chamber of Commerce/mayor who was responsible for this. Everyone pitches in and it doesn't take a huge marketing budget to pull off. I've read statsics somewhere [don't look for a link for this] that studies show it takes 30 days to form a habit. So, this isn't a marketing initiative, but a way of life for these folks.

Makes ya wonder if a little area in the upper peninsula of Michigan can do it, what would the possibilities be for ministries?

Hot dog & hallelujah

Okay. Sometimes, I’m just in the mood to write. Lately it’s more often than not & I’ve been looking for an outlet.

The world of blogging has been somewhat (okay, REALLY) intimidating to me. I’m a big fan of folks [and their blogs] like Mark Batterson, Tony Morgan & Kem Meyer. They have the bar set pretty high.

But I just get so amped up when I see how the church has been pushing the envelope. Really thinking creatively and finding new ways to reach people where they’re at & do it with relevance. I think one of the most fun parts of my job is that I get to learn what other churches are doing around the country. I’m constantly blown away by the passion and commitment these folks share & it doesn’t matter if it’s a little church on the east coast with just a couple hundred people, or a church of over 16,000 in the midwest that’s helping entrepreneurs.

Recently I got to spend some time with new friends from Huntington Beach, CA. Which apparently is Surf City USA… officially. And they have the court documents to prove it. They’re at the front end of a capital campaign to completely overhaul the campus so they can use their location better to reach people who don’t go to church. Set it up as an open place for the community to gather & are going to carry the surfin’ personality through everything… even down to how they recruit volunteers. [“Serve City” Isn’t that cool?]Thinking about the church as an experience versus just a place to go to a couple of times a week really shifted the way I think & how it relates to people outside the church. Disney is an experience. Restaurants are experiences. [some we’d rather not repeat, but experiences nonetheless] Services are EXPERIENCES. Stuff we engage in before, during & after whatever it is we’re paying for.

Believe it or not, but my background is in restaurants. I got my first job when I was 14 at a hotdog stand. Spent many of my high school and college years at TGI Friday’s, Olive Garden, Baker’s Square & other chains. [did you know the only place you can get raisin cream pie is Des Moines?]

People came in hungry, we fed them, they came back. Don’t we do the same things as churches? (yes, I know there’s a lot more but stick with me for a minute here)

What if church planting was thought of in the same way a new restaurant was launched? What would be the theme? The personality, the environment, menu and service? What kind of strategy would be used to get the word out?

Top 10 Reasons Why I'm Glad I Started Blogging

Okay, I’m taking the leap.. or actually have been pushed over the edge.

Now that Tim Stevens has also joined the blogosphere, I just can’t sit back any longer. (I think it was Tony’s “Top 10/Welcome Tim” list that did it.)

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my blogging research, it’s that lists are good. [and lots of links] So it only seems fitting to have the flagship post be a list. So without further ado, here’s the

“Top 10 Reasons Why I’m Glad I Finally Started Blogging”

10) don’t feel like I’m talking to myself anymore [as much]

9) seeing 0 responses to my posts will keep me humble

8) can go to the cool “bloggers only” event at NCC’s Buzz conference

7) there’s a place to organize all the stuff I research

6) I finally have an outlet to share bad [and good] service experiences

5) I can say I’m doing the same thing as Mark, Tony, Kem [& now] Tim

4) I’m honest enough to admit it won’t be as often

3) tests my discipline to start writing more intentionally

2) don’t have a #2, but a “Top 9” list sounded lame

And finally

1) I can stop saying, “No, it’s not up yet” every time Kem asks