Travis Johnson

Church Rocks!

Southbound US-1 just north of Home Depot and Wal Mart. 

new invite cards for fall schedule

Mailers Delivered

The Easter mailers have been delivered to the USPS.  That means that Easter is coming soon.  That is a BIG deal.  Reason?

#1 We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus without which there would be no forgiveness.
#2 We have a seasonal stage to point people to Christ...an opportunity unlike any other day of the year!

Playing it Safe Sucks!

We are coming down to the last days of the due diligence period for selling our church building.  The building and property is rock solid and the only contingency is the inspection.  Still, I know that anything can happen.  Deals are never deals until they are closed and the money is in the bank.  That's the way big deals work.  Chase, uncertainty, victory (immediate and delayed).

When I was in corporate sales and marketing, I loved the chase.  I loved the strategy behind long, complicated deals.  And, of course, winning tasted good.  Losing fuels the fire to be better next time.

To be honest, if I was in a typical church, surrounded by people fearful of change, I may miss it.  But, we are constantly in flux, pursuing change.  For the last two years we have been pressing every button, pursuing the angles, and going for broke.  At times, it has been difficult and even scary.  But, it has been right and God has always come through.  The journey has been an adventure.

So, as we wrestle and embrace change, we stand at the precipice of a new day in our existence. A multi-million dollar contract is teetering ready to close...but it is possible it might not...anything is possible until the deal is closed. We could wish for the perfect ingredients before we do anything.  Or, we can launch out and go for the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ in a big way.

Seth Godin said in a recent post that one of the biggest factors in the success of the US isn't our natural resources or location. It's that so many people in this country came here seeking a thrill.

I echo those sentiments.  Our success in mission does not rest with the selling of a physical church property.  It rests in the fact that God is who He says He is and we put our faith in action, seeking a great thrill on an eternal mission of connecting people with a Holy God.  God did not call us to play it safe, to give up on the verge of victory, or to become satisfied or stagnant upon realizing comfort.  Really, playing it safe sucks.  That's how you lose.  Going "all in" with a radical pursuit of the mission is the only way to get it done. 

Monday at 5 PM, the deal is set to go hard.  If it happens, we have less than a month to get out.  If it doesn't, we'll likely dip back into the market place and recontact potential buyers.  Regardless, I'm all in.

Easter Mailers Are In

 
56,000 of these suckers are sitting in the office right now ready to be delivered to the USPS.  They are conversation pieces for you to leverage.  The goal?  Get your neighbors in church on the day that everyone is most open to going to church.  The "Losing My Religion" series is going to rock.  It is four weeks away...plenty of time for you to make the difference in someone's life! 

We'll open with a little R.E.M. and an entirely new setup with video overflow into another theater and the lobby.  It's going to be a lot of fun.  As always we need your help.  If you aren't already serving somewhere, drop by the info desk in the lobby or sign up here.

Marketing the Mission

On Friday, I am speaking at a Missions Conference to about 70 missionaries on the topic of "Marketing the Mission."  The bulk of traditional fund raising for missionaries is accomplished by speaking in church services.  However, the way church is carried out today cuts the number of these opportunities by a third.  In the past, there were typically 3 services per week.  Today, there is typically one corporate gathering each week supplemented by small groups. 

This shift has created a significant financial challenge for missionaries.  Those who have make the shift have/will prosper(ed).  Those who fail to leverage new venues for communicating their stories will atrophy and be ignored.

My undergraduate degree is in communication.  My corporate background is in marketing.  My passion is the mission of Christ.  I absolutely look forward to opportunities like these.  I still have fire in my belly.  I love to close deals.  I hate fishing.  I love catching.  I love to challenge people to try new things.  I love to be around people who are totally sold out to Christ and who are putting their lives on the line for His cause.  I hate to see people with a significant message being ignored.  I am very much looking forward to Friday and the relationships that will emerge from the meetings.

New Logo

cleaner. direct. to the pointe.

Club Cards and T-Shirts

Below are our new invite cards/club cards.  Give them away to all your crazy friends.  We also have some t-shirts on order.  Pre-ordering begins Sunday.  Stop by the welcome center on Sunday to check out the designs and get your name on the list.

Church Marketing

Over the last year, beginning with our free gas promotion and the Miami Herald article done on our church, I have received a number of emails in the positive and the negative concerning the marketing and advertising Life Pointe employs.  Recently, I have entered into a great discussion via email with a young, articulate seminary student by the name of Derek Knoke.  I would like to carry that discussion on over to my blog because the content and discussion is good enough to warrant opening it up for others to read and participate.

First, marketing and advertising are two totally distinct practices.  Andy Havens of Sanestorm says, "Marketing is the study and practice of better, faster, cheaper and friendlier. “Making things go more smoothly,” as I put it to my students. The product or service a company provides is the “what” of its existence. Marketing is the “how.” In a church setting, our “what” is the spreading of the Word of Christ.

Brian Norris says, "Marketing is the ongoing process of moving people closer to making a decision to purchase, use, follow...or conform to someone else's products, services or values. Simply, if it doesn't facilitate a "sale" then it's not marketing."

The Apostle Paul says in the most radically transparent statement, "I have become all things to all men so that by all means I might save some." I Cor. 9:22-23

I would propose to those of you trying to get a handle on the appropriate mediums for communication of the Gospel that it is not only acceptable to market Christ and the Church, it is mandatory to do so.  Perhaps, the best marketing statement is found in Romans 3:13, "Let us walk honestly as in the day...". Obviously, the aim is not simply to pursuade people to also follow Christ.  The aim is to live out Christ in us.  Marketing as an event is not primary in this passage.  But, it is certainly a by-product.  In answer to some marketing/advertising concerns, it would express brand and image as an authentic expression of Imago Dei.

tagged: Imago  Dei - church marketing - derek knoke - brian norris - andy havens

NPR: Holy Start-up!

Listen to Marty's interview with National Public Radio.  Apparently, the Today Show will be at his church, Steven's Creek on Sunday morning.  Marty handled himself very well and made a great presentation not only for Secure Give but also for Christ.

related post: Marty Baker's Giving Kiosk

tagged:  npr - secure give - marty baker - Today Show - giving kiosk

Marty Baker's Giving Kiosk

This cool cat, Marty "Big Time" Baker has gone Hollywood with a story on his giving kiosks.  CBS, NBC, NPR, and the LA Times have picked up on his SecureGive gig.  Great article.  Great Story.  The marketing of this Church technology doesn't suck!  I'm sure Brad Abare would be proud.

tagged: marketing - technology - marty baker - Church Marketing Sucks - NPR - LA Times - Secure Give

Seth Godin on First Impressions

People make their own realities. If Bill thought he was first, then in his mind, he was. When he started using it, it began to exist. When he stops going back, it will disappear.

As the saying goes, you never have a second chance to make a first impression.  Read the rest of Seth's comments here.

tagged: seth godin - first impressions

Edmund Burke on Leadership

On Novermber 3, 1774, Edmund Burke spoke to the Electors at Bristol regarding his conviction of leadership.  He said, "Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion."

The status quo is our biggest enemy.  In fact, status quo would call us to abandon our better judgment and innovative ideas to line up with the organizational cogs who predictably resist any substantial change.  Fighting it can be so exhausting that we eventually either lose our will to fight it or we give up never fully developing our backbone and thoughtful words needed to overcome it.  Worse yet, we often fight status quo in all the wrong places.  By targeting the fully entrenched and decidedly unchangeable for the purpose of affecting change, we have already lost.

Greg says to target the driest kindling with our fire.  Everett Rogers schools us all in what Greg is saying with his idea diffusion curve.  Seth says "all the growth and the opportunity and the fun is at the leading edge."  He further states that this is "where the change happens."

So, take the fight for positive change to the hearts and minds of those most receptive to change and innovation.

tagged: seth godin - greg stielstra - idea diffusion - edmund burke - leadership and innovation

Perception is Reality

I lied.  I can't stop blogging.  I hope that blog entry doesn't kill my traffic that I have been enjoying over the last few weeks.

Tonight after picking Kourtney up from her grandparents' house, we were driving home.  Whenever she takes a "Daddy trip" (just me and her), she always wants to listen to rock and roll.  Of course, I indulge her.  As Guns 'n Roses played "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," she turned down the volume and said, "Dad, why are they knockin' on KEVIN's door?"

The lesson?  Make sure what you are saying is what they are hearing.  What is being said and what is being heard are largely two totally different animals.

Seth Godin Skypecast and "Small is the New Big"

I pre-ordered Seth Godin's new book, "Small is the New Big" about two months ago.  I got the email that it shipped from Amazon today at 4:02 pm (along with "Experience the Message : How Experiential Marketing is Changing the Brand World" by Max Lenderman).  For this reason, I love FedEx Ground trucks!

With the release of Seth's new book (we are on a first name basis, you know), he is doing a Skypecast interview led by TypePad's General Manager, Michael Sippey on Tuesday, August 22 at 2:00 PM (PDT). 

I like the little Skypecast spiff and releases to fire up some buzz over his book, which is basically a collection of 184 really great ideas-mostly from his blog.  It gets me (a blogger) to bang away at my keyboard like a zombie, trying to be one of the first to brag about the book.

In a perfect world, the good Dr. Godin would give me some link love for telling everyone that I need the Fed Ex truck to deliver his book to me ASAP. 

Technorati Tag: Seth Godin - Small is the New Big - Skypecast - Max Lenderman

Intersections: God - Love - Sex

 

They Say I'm Extreme

Mooooooving right along through my latest Seth Godin read, I'm bored and invigorated simulataneously.  Some of the abbreviated chapters are nothing more than beef knuckle.  But, I've come across some Filet Mignon that has seriously resonated with my heart.  Consider the "They" to be the change resistors who value stagnation and safety above missionality.  Check out this excepert from the Big Moo (p. 34-36):

They say I'm extreme.
I say I'm a realist.

They say, "We can't handle this much change."
I say, "Your job and career are in jeopardy; what other options do you have?"

They say "we need an initiative."
I say, "We need a dream. And dreamers."

They say, "effective governance is important."
I say, "bold, brash boards that are representative of the market served- more than a token woman or two and an empty seat for the forth coming Hispanic" - are an imperative. Now.

They say, "We need more steady, loyal employees."
I say, "We need more 'freaks' who routinely tell those in charge to take a flying leap...before its too late"

They say, "We like people who, with steely determination, say, 'I can make it better.'"
I say, "I love people who, with a maniacal gleam in their eye, perhaps even a giggle, say, 'I can turn the world upside down.  Watch me!'"

They say, Sure, we need change"
I say we need revolution now.

They say, "Conglomerate and imitate!"
I say, Create and innovate!"

They say, "improve and maintain."
I say, "Destroy and reimagine."

They say, "Happy balance."
I say, "Creative tension."

They say, "Peace brother."
I say, "Bruise my feelings, flatten my ego, Save my job."

They say they want recruits with "spotless records."
I say, "The spots are what matter most."

Radical commitment to core business

Starbucks is incredible.  They have remarkable environments, excellent service, and exceptional product.  But, they've hit a snag with their frozen drinks.  The time to blend a frozen drink during peak hours slows down their lines, reduces product sold, and increases customer frustration.  Frozen products are great.  But, I need to get in and out quickly when I'm in a rush.

Starbucks will fix this problem.  They will add baristas or make the frozen drinks more efficient.  The church has some lessons to learn regarding "process drag."  We have engaged in so many non-essentials that our core functions get marginalized, weakened, or cluttered out by the extra-curricular noise.  Extra Bold coffee is not our main business.  But, we do have a challenge facing the customized, blinged out, American church.  Our challenge or our main business is to keep the main business the main business!

Related links:
Starbucks Gossip    Starbucks Union Aggregator    Starbucks Goes to the Kids

The Heart of Worship

How many hours do you think are spent preparing for the typical Sunday worship experience?  I know I put a lot of time into preparation.  There are many terrific people making it happen week in and week out at Life Pointe.  But, what if there was nothing to setup, no stage, no lights, no creative elements?  What would be left?

Brad Abare asks the question better than me.  Summed up, is there a faith community that could still be glad in gathering together to worship a Holy God?  Matt Redmond asked the same question after realizing that the music had become greater than His God.  As Christianity Today related it, he cancelled all music and for a period of weeks worshipped in silence.  They regained a more simplistic approach to God and broke their silence with this song:

when the music fades
all is stripped away
and i simply come...
longing just to bring
something that's of worth
that will bless your heart

i bring you more than a song
for a song in itself
is not what you have required
you search much deeper within
through the way things appear
you're looking into my heart

chorus
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
and it's all about you
It's all about you, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing i've made it
when it's all about you
it's all about you, Jesus

What is left over when all your religious trappings are taken away?  I pray that what is left honors God and leaves me with a place among my friends, my church, my family.

Seth Godin on Organizational Courage

"Wanting growth and attaining growth, though, are two different things.  Most organizations are paralyzed, stuck in a rut, staring at a growth paradox.  On one hand, they understand all the good things that will come with growth.  On the other, they're afraid, petrified that growth means change, change means risk, and risk could mean death.  No one wants to screw up and ruin a good thing, so the organization just sits there, motionless.

The growth paradox in endemic, affecting non-profits, big companies, start-ups, and even individuals.  It continues to frustrate millions of employees (and investors).

How can we get you to embrace the idea of the purple cow?  How can we help you to uunderstand that your quest for the big moo-for the game changing innovation-is the main reason (no, not the main reason, the only reason) you went to work today?

There isn't a logical, proven, steb-by-step formula you can follow.  Instead, there's a chaotic path through the woods, a path that includes side routes encompassing customer service, unconventional dedication, unparalleled leadership, and daring to dream.  Is this path worth staying on? Only if you want to grow.  Only if you're tired of being a cog in a dehumanizing machine.  Only if you are willing to embrace the quest for the big moo."

(from preface of The Big Moo)