« December 2006 | Main | February 2007 »

January 31, 2007

Innovative Churches: Obstacles & Dangers

(Filed under: Philosophy)

Part 5 in a series on Innovative Churches. Be sure to contribute to the Most Innovative Churches list.

Here are more of the Q&As from the Outreach/Tony Morgan questionnaire:

What are the enemies of innovation in churches? What are the challenges churches will have to overcome to experience innovation?

Enemies of innovation include any attempt to minimize or marginalize the ability to create new ways of telling the story. My opinion is that people are the biggest hurdle to innovation. We wouldn’t have the automobile today if we would have listened to all the people that thought going more than five miles per hour was too fast.

Continue reading "Innovative Churches: Obstacles & Dangers"

Posted by Brad Abare at 12:19 PM
| Comments (3) | TrackBack

January 30, 2007

Innovative Church Poll

(Filed under: Poll Results)

To go along with our Innovative Church series we opted to do a little poll to find out how innovative your church is. The results are not that encouraging.

The majority (35%) went for "Depends on what you mean. Is using colored paper for handouts innovative?"--which, in case you were wondering, is not very innovative. Thankfully 25% said their church innovates like nobody's business. Closely followed by those who asked if using MySpace was innovative (23%), which is fairly innovative (it's not ground-breaking and mind-shattering, but it's pretty with it). A depressingly-high 17% said their church would be innovative 50 years ago.

This week we turn to the innovation of blogging with a resurrected poll. We first asked the question a little more than a year ago, so it will be interesting to see how that's changed. It's also quite timely, considering the book The Blogging Church came out earlier this month (a book CMS just happens to be mentioned in).

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:22 PM
| Comments (3) | TrackBack

January 29, 2007

National New Church Conference

(Filed under: Events)

In April I will be tag-teaming with the one and only Mark Batterson for a pre-conference session at the National New Church Conference in Orlando, Fla. The pre-conference track is about creative communications in the church.

In addition, I will be tag-teaming a workshop on Tuesday with creative guru Drew Goodmanson tentatively titled "Get the Word Out! What Every Church Planter Needs to Know About Communication."

If you're a church planter, I'd encourage you to get to Orlando April 23-26, 2007. The conference is loaded with great topics and communicators who want to help. If you know of church planters who should be there, send them the details and a little cash to help cover their way!

You can register here.

Posted by Brad Abare at 6:22 AM
| Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 26, 2007

Innovative Churches: Opportunities & Influence

(Filed under: Philosophy)

Part 4 in a series on Innovative Churches. Be sure to contribute to the Most Innovative Churches list.

Here's the continuing Q&As from the Outreach/Tony Morgan questionnaire:

What’s happening outside the church that should influence innovation inside local churches?

The biggest thing happening outside the church is that most people are not looking to the church for anything. Because of this, any attempt at being innovative may very well be seen as the second grader who didn’t get chosen by the red team or the blue team, so he’s showing off his cool moves on the side of the field, hoping someone sees.

What we need is to be communicating the message in ways our communities understand. This is a critical component of understanding where the church fits in a culture full of innovation. Any innovative influences from the "outside" should be studied from the perspective of impact, not impression. What is working and why? Not what is cool and how can I use that in my church. Just because blogs are cool doesn’t mean everyone should have one.

Continue reading "Innovative Churches: Opportunities & Influence"

Posted by Brad Abare at 7:56 AM
| Comments (6) | TrackBack

January 25, 2007

First Impressions: Presentation vs. Promotion

(Filed under: First Impressions & Beyond)

by Brenton Balvin, Guest Blogger

A friend from church has been sporadically carrying on a conversation with me about first impressions. He knows that I am a big first impressions guy and he positions himself somewhat antagonistically as someone who cares more about what is happening in the hearts of the people at church than what happens in the parking lot or with the font on the church bulletin. Unfortunately we can't seem to come to any reconciliation despite my contention that good first impressions and the authenticity of church attenders are complementary and not contradictory.

Bob Franquiz seems to echo my convictions in his book review of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout.

Continue reading "First Impressions: Presentation vs. Promotion"

Posted by Guest Blogger at 2:25 PM
| Comments (9) | TrackBack

Cool Ideas Poll

(Filed under: Poll Results)

Last week we asked about cool church promotional ideas, and while Chipotle is always tasty, nothing beats simply walking the walk. It's hardly a promotional idea so it's kind of cheating, but it does underscore our constant refrain that Christians who do what they're supposed to do are the best marketing ever.

For the record, Chipotle pulled in 23%, a well-put together series had 12%, and MySpace, user-created video and rappin' pastors all had 6%.

This week we ask if your church is innovative, going along with our current series.

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:42 AM
| Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 24, 2007

Innovative Churches: Ingredients

(Filed under: Philosophy)

Part 3 in a series on Innovative Churches. Be sure to contribute to the Most Innovative Churches list.

Here's the next Q&A from the Outreach/Tony Morgan questionnaire:

What does innovation look like in today’s churches? What are the ingredients for innovation in the local church?

Assuming the basic premise that the church has the greatest story ever told, today’s churches must first understand the communities within which we are communicating. Innovation for its own sake is ineffectual. Innovation that understands the context for its contribution to telling the story is explosive.

The ingredients for innovation in the local church include eliminating assumptions, raising expectations and inviting the right people to the conversation. The right people are not typically the ones you think. Make a list of all the people you would never want to speak into anything the church would do, and then appoint someone from that group to lead the conversation. Put forth a few ground rules and cast some vision. The story is already set--it has been for two thousand years. Your church’s involvement in communicating that story should already be figured out, too (if not, you don’t need innovation just yet, you need direction). What you don’t have figured out is how. This is where innovation comes in. But quit trying to do it all yourself.

Posted by Brad Abare at 9:43 AM
| Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 22, 2007

Innovative Churches: Definition & Is It Biblical?

(Filed under: Philosophy)

Part 2 in a series on Innovative Churches. Be sure to contribute to the Most Innovative Churches list.

As a part of Outreach's Most Innovative Churches list, I answered a questionnaire for Tony Morgan about what it really means to be innovative. Here's the first of those Q&A's:

How would you define innovation?

Innovation is the ability to look forward, leverage potential and lead change.

Is innovation biblical? Does God want churches to innovate? Did innovation happen in the first-century Church? Should the Church embrace innovation today? Why?

Yes, innovation is biblical to the extent that it fosters and facilitates God’s agenda. God is all about being innovative! He’s used things like a burning bush, a talking donkey and a huge boat to get his point across. God is all about getting our attention and using whatever means necessary to build his kingdom.

Acts 1:7-8 is a great example of strategic innovation in practice. Here, Jesus helps the apostles look forward (I’m coming back but you don’t know when), leverage potential (you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you), and lead change (start here with Jerusalem, and work your way out to Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth). This innovative approach was Jesus’ way of saying take my gospel to the people; don’t wait for them to come to you. That’s innovative!

Posted by Brad Abare at 7:48 AM
| Comments (3) | TrackBack

January 19, 2007

The Most Innovative Churches

(Filed under: Philosophy)

Part 1 in a series on Innovative Churches

Outreach magazine recently released a list of America's most innovative churches. Outreach magazine and Simply Strategic guy Tony Morgan came up with the list, with the help of a panel of experts.

But what do experts know? We put together Outreach's list and now want to hear your opinion. Are these the most innovative churches? How would you rank them? What churches would you add to the list? Thanks to some handy Squidoo-fueled technology, we offer the Most Innovative Churches list, voted on by you the people.

Click through and sign in with Squidoo to vote or make additions to the list. Remember that this isn't about whose church is more innovative and earning bragging rights. This is a chance to learn from some cool examples. Get some ideas. Be inspired. Let the innovative cream rise to the top. We're not here to stroke egos.

In addition to our interactive innovation list, we also want to explore what makes a church innovative. Included on the panel that came up with the original list was our own Brad Abare. Along with recommending some innovative churches for the list, Brad answered a questionnaire for Tony Morgan about what it really means to be innovative. We'll share some of Brad's answers on innovation over the next few weeks.

Continue reading "The Most Innovative Churches"

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:54 AM
| Comments (17) | TrackBack

January 18, 2007

NRB's Reach 2007 Conference

(Filed under: Events)

Our very own Brad Abare will be speaking at the NRB's 2007 Reach Conference next month in Orlando, Fla. The conference is February 17-19 and Brad will be headlining the "The Aren't Getting It" workshop, hosted by Brad Hill on Sunday:

Sometimes the greatest hurdle to true online ministry isn't budget--it's simple buy-in from senior leadership. Having no web presence (or a bad one) can do more harm than you might realize. Designed for the people who "get it," this session will help you formulate the most compelling arguments possible for digital ministry in your church/organization.

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 9:00 AM
| Comments (2) | TrackBack

Salt-Seasoning for a Full House

(Filed under: Philosophy)

When our success at communicating is measured against the contemporary, creative, and controversial, we're missing it. Like a dieter eating Milk Duds on a treadmill, we must not forget why we're communicating this greatest story ever told in the first place.

Not to be contemporary for the sake of relevance.
Not to be creative for the sake of recognition.
Not to be controversial for the sake of climax.

May we be the salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of the earth (Matthew 5:13), so that the house of God will be full (Luke 14:23)!

Posted by Brad Abare at 7:53 AM
| Comments (3) | TrackBack

Church Walls as Billboards: Your Ad Here

(Filed under: Off the Wall)

"Your Ad Here" and "Your Corporate Logo Here" displayed alternately for two and a half hours on the side of the Cathedral of our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles, fully visible to commuters on the northbound Hollywood freeway Wednesday evening. Is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles that hard up for cash? Well, after a $40 million clergy sex abuse settlement, yes, but it's not their ad. It's the work of 28-year-old artist James Cui. Using a laptop, a video projector and a generator he looks for blank, dark walls where he can display his work.

That sort of church marketing would suck, as Tod Tamburg, spokesman for the diocese says in what has to be the best 'duh' quote ever:

"A church tower is different from a billboard. If it wasn't, we would have been selling ad space 2,000 years ago," he said. "There are plenty of ways to communicate without making ad space out of your sanctuaries. I think most people would react negatively to that."

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:07 AM
| Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 16, 2007

Top 59 Smartest Organizations Online

(Filed under: News & Updates)

Our non-profit parent, the Center for Church Communication, was just named one of the Top 59 Smartest Organizations Online. You can read more about it at the CFCC blog.

Whoa. We're on the same list with organizations like Oxfam and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. And the Ferrets Unlimited Ferret Shelter.

You can also vote for your favorite smartest organization online, and we're currently ranked 10th! Of course it's not a popularity contest, as Seth Godin reminds us, but we feel pretty popular. And smart ("I am so smart, I am so smart, s-m-r-t--I mean s-m-a-r-t!")

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 3:13 PM
| Comments (2) | TrackBack

Beautiful Basics

(Filed under: Philosophy)

Everybody's been talking about the amazing new iPhone this past week. As you can imagine, it holds a few lessons for the church.

But first comes 37signals' prediction for the iPhone, posted hours before the iPhone debuted:

Apple makes history not by leapfrogging everyone in terms of functionality and bells and whistles, they do it through elegance, simplification, clarity, and practicality.

I see no reason why they won’t follow that strategy with their phone. It will change the game, but not because it does more than everyone else’s phone. I think we’ll see just the opposite.

Apple will execute on the basics beautifully.

And while Apple has crammed all sorts of stuff into their phone (video, music, Internet), they did do a massive simplification (no buttons?!) and come June we'll see just how beautiful it is.

Continue reading "Beautiful Basics"

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 11:07 AM
| Comments (4) | TrackBack

Church Tie in Poll

(Filed under: Poll Results)

Last week we asked about the controversial issue of churches partnering with outside organizations. Brad started it with his post about church partnerships and then followed up with the example of Chipotle. The majority--57%--are fine with churches working with outside organizations, picking the 'anything that spreads the gospel without compromising the gospel' option, which is the tricky part of this whole endeavor. Next came the Chipotle fans with 27%, followed by the anti-partnership folks with 11%. Only 5% voted for perhaps the most high-profile example of church partnerships, The Passion of the Christ.

This week we're asking about the coolest church promotional idea you've heard lately, with room to write-in your own answer if you don't like the ones we picked.

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:24 AM
| Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 15, 2007

Top 5 Must-Read Blogs for Fundraisers

(Filed under: News & Updates)

It seems we're one of the top five must-read blogs for fundraisers. Jeff Brooks, author of the Donor Power Blog and creative director at the ad agency Merkle/Domain, offered up the top five blogs in an interview with Fundraising Success magazine.

So we've got that going for us. (link via Knightopia)

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 10:26 AM
| Comments (0) | TrackBack

MLK Day On, Not Off

(Filed under: Evangelism & Outreach)

Following up my post post from earlier this week about how more churches should be making a bigger deal about MLK day, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that many do.

I flew to Michigan Friday for a board meeting of a non-profit I serve on. During my ride from the airport, I was talking with fellow board member Pastor Clifford Barnett of Brighton Rock A.M.E. Zion Church in Portsmouth, Va. Besides being on my list for one of the coolest pastors in the world (this guy gets up every morning during the school year and waits with kids who are waiting for their bus!), Pastor Barnett and team are active participants in their local "day on/day off" program.

The concept "it's not a day off, it's a day on" honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day as not just a holiday break from working, but a chance to serve our communities. The idea is brilliant (thank you Congress of 1994!).

I'm sure Dr. King would have preferred any honor people were going to give him to be done in the name of serving others rather than serving ourselves.

Thanks Pastor Clifford Barnett and to all other churches who make a big deal out of this holiday!

Posted by Brad Abare at 7:01 AM
| Comments (4) | TrackBack

January 12, 2007

Church Staff Free Agents

(Filed under: Church Business)

Ooh, ooh, did you hear the news? Forget about that Beckham guy, Tony Morgan, former pastor at Granger Community Church in Granger, Ind. and one of the Simply Strategic guys is moving on to New Spring Church in Anderson, S.C., pastored by Perry Noble.

And if that's not enough, Terry Storch, former big name blogger and author of some book on the subject (huh--how do you write a book on blogging but then stop blogging?!) is transitioning from Ed Young's Fellowship Church in Dallas to Craig Groeschel's LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma.

Whew.

Is it me, or does this sound like some kind of pro sports offseason when players are traded and swapped like, well, like baseball cards? You've got the big name managers bringing in the top talent for their teams. Congratulations on the new gigs, guys, we hope they're great opportunities. I'm glad to see church staffs pursuing the top talent, I just never thought church staff changes would be such intriguing news.

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 11:15 AM
| Comments (22) | TrackBack

January 11, 2007

Outreach's Top 20 Web Sites for Church Communicators

(Filed under: Technology)

In my haste to dump some links on you yesterday I forgot one: Top 20 Web Sites for Church Communicators. It's a web exclusive from Outreach magazine written by, oh yeah, me. If you read this blog regularly you probably know about many of these sites (like, ahem, #20), but you might find a couple gems you didn't know about. Enjoy.

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 8:58 AM
| Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 10, 2007

Post-Holiday Linkfest

(Filed under: Link Round Up)

My post-holiday recovery never quite happened, thanks to the fact that my family is trying to sell our house. So I've got a pile of links I haven't had time to blog about. But lucky for you I'll take the lazy route and throw 'em all up here in one big list. Enjoy:

• Congregations Go High-Tech to Deliver Message - From PowerPoint and basic web sites (ooh, shiny!) to podcasting and blogs.
• Location Doesn't Matter for Most - Storefront churches are working despite locations: "I quickly discovered that the absence of typical church decorations doesn't matter a bit. What makes a church 'church' is what goes on inside the heart and soul of the pastor and the congregation."
• How Toyota Would Run a Church - Church Relevance speculates about how Toyota might run a church.
• The 25 Most Innovative Churches in America - Outreach put out the list with help from Tony Morgan, but we'll link to Church Relevance since they have the list in non-PDF format and show what other lists those churches have landed on.
• What Makes a Church Grow? - Growing churches are often multiracial, have more men than women, make an effort not to be reverent and use drums in worship (gasp!).
• New England Churches Shy From 'Baptist' Name - Even NPR is getting in on the church name change game. Dawn Nicole Baldwin is even planning a series on church name changes.
• God Bless the Bulletin - Wow, some newspapers still run bulletin bloopers?

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 11:16 AM
| Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 9, 2007

Irrelevant Social Clubs: Martin Luther King Jr. on the Church

(Filed under: Philosophy)

This coming Monday in the United States, we will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It's a federal holiday and, as of the year 2000, every state recognizes it. Established in 1983, it is the newest addition to the annual holiday lineup. King is the only American besides George Washington recognized with a national holiday. For many, it's the day off we've been looking forward to ever since our Christmas and New Year's extended absences.

This holiday should be a big deal for churches. In my opinion, outside of Christmas and Easter, no other holiday represents the heart of God so much. Unfortunately, I think the pace of Christmas and New Year's is just too much for churches to recover from in order to swing back around for Martin Luther King Jr. Day a few weeks later.

Continue reading "Irrelevant Social Clubs: Martin Luther King Jr. on the Church"

Posted by Brad Abare at 10:15 AM
| Comments (11) | TrackBack

Newspaper Advertising Poll

(Filed under: Poll Results)

Last week we asked about newspaper advertising. It was a shorter poll, thanks to some holiday delays.

But the outlook for church advertising in newspapers isn't that promising. 45% only do it for special events and 33% balked at the idea. Only 20% do advertise in newspapers and plan to stick with it. Of course this probably says more about the newspaper industry than the church marketing industry.

This week we're asking about that controversial topic of churches partnering with other organizations. Carry on.

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 9:59 AM
| Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 5, 2007

New Year Poll

(Filed under: Poll Results)

Last week we asked about your church marketing hopes and dreams for 2007. The perennial favorite, a web site that doesn't make people cringe, took the top spot with 34%. Next came the novel concept of planning with 25%, followed by braqnd consistency at 21%. More of the same and as few typos as possible tied for 8%, and only 4% are planning a church name change in 2007.

May all your church marketing dreams come true in 2007.

This week we're asking about newspaper advertising.

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks at 7:39 AM
| Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 3, 2007

Chipotle and Crossings Church

(Filed under: Advertising)

Last month I wrote an entry about potential partnerships that might exist between companies and churches. Not surprising, it sparked several heated comments. I am working on a follow up post that dives a little deeper into the subject.

In the meantime, we got an e-mail from Josh Karrer, a church planter with Crossings Church out of Richmond, Va. Several months ago, Karrer approached local and regional managers for the insanely yummy Chipotle restaurant.

Continue reading "Chipotle and Crossings Church"

Posted by Brad Abare at 7:09 AM
| Comments (15) | TrackBack