Just saw that the Granger Film Festival finalists and winners are now on line for all to see. Check it out at www.wiredchurches.com and click on "Innovate '07".
One of the Ridge's videos made the cut. The content is good...and fun...but it was done before we had a decent camera. Check out "Does my new armor suit me?" and let me know your thoughts.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Excellent Granger Conference
This time last week I was finishing up at the "Innovate" Conference at Granger Community Church in Granger, Indiana. I came away from the two-day event feeling it was one of the very best conferences I've ever attended. I have taken the last week trying to figure out why.
There are a number of reasons...and I will try to make sense of them for you.
Top-notch quality from beginning to end. Granger makes it easy to register and they send you a pre-conference package that gives you all the info you could need. When you arrive on campus you are greeted by happy, helpful folks that know the real meaning of "guest services". The "Innovate" notebook was incredible from the colorful tattoo-style logo to the information inside to the spacious area left for note-taking. Another small but helpful feature: on the back a "quick look" guide to "what's next". I found myself checking that page often. The "Innovate" t-shirt and temporary tattoo were nice surprises. And I loved the merch stand and the snack tent...and the vendors were all helpful and articulate.
Useful & Practical Information. The speakers were engaging, helpful, and practical. We began Thursday with a general session with Guy Kawasaki who spoke to us about the "art of innovation". Granger Senior Pastor Mark Beeson had two great sessions. Granger's Executive Pastor Tim Stevens hit a homerun during his "director's commentary" as he encouraged us to study the culture so we can speak their language in sharing the gospel. Another Granger staff member Rob Wegner blew me away with his session on how to cut through the noise to communicate the gospel. All the general sessions were excellent as were the breakout sessions I attended. The best breakout of the conference for me was lead by Granger's Jack Magruder. Jack spoke to us about the 7 Mission Metaphors Granger uses to cast vision for outreach. I will share some of the great information I gleaned from this conference in an upcoming entry.
Humble & Helpful Church. What I love best about going to Granger and it was shown over and over again in this conference...there is a real humility and spirit of helpfulness at Granger. I heard more than once that they don't have everything figured out and they just want to help other churches for the Kingdom. That's how all churches should be!
Mark your calendar. If you missed this year's conference...mark it down for next year. "Innovate 2008" will be on September 18-19, 2008.
A terrific conference...I'm already looking forward to next year. More on what I learned and plan to use in our church coming soon.
There are a number of reasons...and I will try to make sense of them for you.
Top-notch quality from beginning to end. Granger makes it easy to register and they send you a pre-conference package that gives you all the info you could need. When you arrive on campus you are greeted by happy, helpful folks that know the real meaning of "guest services". The "Innovate" notebook was incredible from the colorful tattoo-style logo to the information inside to the spacious area left for note-taking. Another small but helpful feature: on the back a "quick look" guide to "what's next". I found myself checking that page often. The "Innovate" t-shirt and temporary tattoo were nice surprises. And I loved the merch stand and the snack tent...and the vendors were all helpful and articulate.
Useful & Practical Information. The speakers were engaging, helpful, and practical. We began Thursday with a general session with Guy Kawasaki who spoke to us about the "art of innovation". Granger Senior Pastor Mark Beeson had two great sessions. Granger's Executive Pastor Tim Stevens hit a homerun during his "director's commentary" as he encouraged us to study the culture so we can speak their language in sharing the gospel. Another Granger staff member Rob Wegner blew me away with his session on how to cut through the noise to communicate the gospel. All the general sessions were excellent as were the breakout sessions I attended. The best breakout of the conference for me was lead by Granger's Jack Magruder. Jack spoke to us about the 7 Mission Metaphors Granger uses to cast vision for outreach. I will share some of the great information I gleaned from this conference in an upcoming entry.
Humble & Helpful Church. What I love best about going to Granger and it was shown over and over again in this conference...there is a real humility and spirit of helpfulness at Granger. I heard more than once that they don't have everything figured out and they just want to help other churches for the Kingdom. That's how all churches should be!
Mark your calendar. If you missed this year's conference...mark it down for next year. "Innovate 2008" will be on September 18-19, 2008.
A terrific conference...I'm already looking forward to next year. More on what I learned and plan to use in our church coming soon.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Random Thoughts on Church Planting, etc.
Some RANDOM thoughts...on things I BELIEVE...
church planting: I believe church planting is the hope of the world especially in the United States where churches are closing their doors every single day.
church planters: I believe church planters are a valuable resource that we must not squander. When you think of all the blood, sweat, tears, resources, time, energy, and money spent to launch a new work - the Body of Christ must do whatever it can to help these church pioneers stay strong and fight the good fight!
new church cooperative: I believe that help is on the way for church plants. The "New Church Cooperative" is one of a growing number of organizations that's purpose is to help new church plants and the men who plant them be succesful (faithful) in God's calling.
think Big: Our God is a Big God...and He calls us to dream Big Dreams for Him. Not for us...but for Him. I believe God still does miracles and that God wants to do His miracles through men and women who trust fully and completely in Him.
Are you guilty, as I am, of not believing God can do all things? If God could do what He did on the day of Pentacost and in the early church in Acts...why can't He do that now? What has changed? Us? or God?
church planting: I believe church planting is the hope of the world especially in the United States where churches are closing their doors every single day.
church planters: I believe church planters are a valuable resource that we must not squander. When you think of all the blood, sweat, tears, resources, time, energy, and money spent to launch a new work - the Body of Christ must do whatever it can to help these church pioneers stay strong and fight the good fight!
new church cooperative: I believe that help is on the way for church plants. The "New Church Cooperative" is one of a growing number of organizations that's purpose is to help new church plants and the men who plant them be succesful (faithful) in God's calling.
think Big: Our God is a Big God...and He calls us to dream Big Dreams for Him. Not for us...but for Him. I believe God still does miracles and that God wants to do His miracles through men and women who trust fully and completely in Him.
Are you guilty, as I am, of not believing God can do all things? If God could do what He did on the day of Pentacost and in the early church in Acts...why can't He do that now? What has changed? Us? or God?
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Back in the Swing
After 10 days in Florida...a couple of days home...and then 3 days in Kentucky at the Ichthus Music Festival...I am slowly getting back in the swing of things. I don't know about you, but while I enjoy time away it can really take me out of my routine and slow me down. However, the rest & relaxation overrides any negatives that come from "down time".
From talking to pastors it seems there is a trend to NOT taking enough time off from ministry. And I'm not just talking about vacation...but also days off during the week, time spent with spouse and family, and extended "sabbath time". I try to put time on my calendar and I ask my friends & elders at church to help hold me accountable. How do you do it?
From talking to pastors it seems there is a trend to NOT taking enough time off from ministry. And I'm not just talking about vacation...but also days off during the week, time spent with spouse and family, and extended "sabbath time". I try to put time on my calendar and I ask my friends & elders at church to help hold me accountable. How do you do it?
Friday, June 1, 2007
No Electronics
Just a quick note to let you know we are going on vacation tomorrow. We are heading to Fort Walton Beach, Florida for some fun in the sun...rest...and relaxation. I won't be online during that time...so, no new blog posts until mid-June.
Talk with you soon!
Talk with you soon!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Branding your church
How do you get your church to stand out from all the other advertising with which people are bombarded daily? Branding is one effective way.
A recent article in Fast Company magazine says that authenticity is key to effective branding.
Here's an exerpt:
What does it take to be authentic?
Authenticity constantly requires reinforcement, and it can come from a number of sources: craftsmanship, timeliness, relevance. But it is a brand's values--the emotional connection it makes--that truly define its realism. And there are four primary strands that draw out that connection.
A sense of place.
"Authenticity comes from a place we can connect with," says Steve McCallion, creative director of Ziba, a Portland, Oregon--based design consultancy. "A place with a story." The Champagne region of France, for instance, helps give Veuve Clicquot special cachet. And yet, our notion of place does not need to be literal. On the contrary, it can sometimes prove considerably elastic. Häagen-Dazs, the Nordic-sounding ice cream, originated in that quaint Scandinavian village known as the Bronx, New York. The brand's name, concocted from two nonsensical words, is a perfect fake--so well chosen, and so evocative, that it resonates as real to folks who love the product.
A strong point of view.
Authenticity also emerges from "people with a deep passion for what they are doing," says McCallion. So Martha Stewart is perceived to be authentic in large part because her ambitious recipes for Perfect White Cake and Chocolate-Strawberry Heart-Shaped Ice-Cream Sandwiches stand in the face of a world where food is mass-produced and preparation for the average dinner is measured by the number of minutes it takes to microwave the thing.
Serving a larger purpose.
Consumers quite rightly believe, until they're shown otherwise, that every brand is governed by an ulterior motive: to sell something. But if a brand can convincingly argue that its profit-making is only a by-product of a larger purpose, authenticity sets in. "Just as there are purpose-driven lives," says Character's Hardison, "there are purpose-driven brands." (Think Whole Foods) here, or even, in a way, Google. The counterpart is also true: "When a brand changes its story to better capture its customers' dollars, it's basically a poser," Hardison says, "and people sense that right away."
Integrity.
Authenticity comes to a brand that is what it says it is. In other words, "the story that the brand tells through its actions aligns with the story it tells through its communications," Hardison says. "Only then will customers sense that the brand's story is true." When McDonald's launched its "We love to see you smile" campaign in 2000, commentators like Advertising Age's Bob Garfield hooted in derision, arguing that filthy restrooms and grumpy counter clerks rendered the ads "preposterously false." A year later, published reports revealed that rude employees were costing Mickey D's millions of dollars in lost sales. And when bloggers exposed a flog (read: "fake blog") that masqueraded as a travel journal written by a couple who were compensated for their gushing posts about Wal-Mart, the deception elicited a torrent of rebuke.
Our church has always had branding in the back of our minds, but recently we've been putting a lot more thought into how branding might play an important role in reaching new people for Christ. We are now in the process of changing our logo, etc. in an effort to brand our church in a more effective way. I will share what we learn and do.
Please share your thoughts and successes/failures as well.
The whole article can be seen here-
http://trax.fastcompany.com/k/w/mailman/fasttake/20070509/love?f=h
A recent article in Fast Company magazine says that authenticity is key to effective branding.
Here's an exerpt:
What does it take to be authentic?
Authenticity constantly requires reinforcement, and it can come from a number of sources: craftsmanship, timeliness, relevance. But it is a brand's values--the emotional connection it makes--that truly define its realism. And there are four primary strands that draw out that connection.
A sense of place.
"Authenticity comes from a place we can connect with," says Steve McCallion, creative director of Ziba, a Portland, Oregon--based design consultancy. "A place with a story." The Champagne region of France, for instance, helps give Veuve Clicquot special cachet. And yet, our notion of place does not need to be literal. On the contrary, it can sometimes prove considerably elastic. Häagen-Dazs, the Nordic-sounding ice cream, originated in that quaint Scandinavian village known as the Bronx, New York. The brand's name, concocted from two nonsensical words, is a perfect fake--so well chosen, and so evocative, that it resonates as real to folks who love the product.
A strong point of view.
Authenticity also emerges from "people with a deep passion for what they are doing," says McCallion. So Martha Stewart is perceived to be authentic in large part because her ambitious recipes for Perfect White Cake and Chocolate-Strawberry Heart-Shaped Ice-Cream Sandwiches stand in the face of a world where food is mass-produced and preparation for the average dinner is measured by the number of minutes it takes to microwave the thing.
Serving a larger purpose.
Consumers quite rightly believe, until they're shown otherwise, that every brand is governed by an ulterior motive: to sell something. But if a brand can convincingly argue that its profit-making is only a by-product of a larger purpose, authenticity sets in. "Just as there are purpose-driven lives," says Character's Hardison, "there are purpose-driven brands." (Think Whole Foods) here, or even, in a way, Google. The counterpart is also true: "When a brand changes its story to better capture its customers' dollars, it's basically a poser," Hardison says, "and people sense that right away."
Integrity.
Authenticity comes to a brand that is what it says it is. In other words, "the story that the brand tells through its actions aligns with the story it tells through its communications," Hardison says. "Only then will customers sense that the brand's story is true." When McDonald's launched its "We love to see you smile" campaign in 2000, commentators like Advertising Age's Bob Garfield hooted in derision, arguing that filthy restrooms and grumpy counter clerks rendered the ads "preposterously false." A year later, published reports revealed that rude employees were costing Mickey D's millions of dollars in lost sales. And when bloggers exposed a flog (read: "fake blog") that masqueraded as a travel journal written by a couple who were compensated for their gushing posts about Wal-Mart, the deception elicited a torrent of rebuke.
Our church has always had branding in the back of our minds, but recently we've been putting a lot more thought into how branding might play an important role in reaching new people for Christ. We are now in the process of changing our logo, etc. in an effort to brand our church in a more effective way. I will share what we learn and do.
Please share your thoughts and successes/failures as well.
The whole article can be seen here-
http://trax.fastcompany.com/k/w/mailman/fasttake/20070509/love?f=h
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Daybreak Conference Notes
My wife, Ruth, and I went with two others from our church to the Daybreak "Infusion" Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan a week or so back...and I thought I'd share some of the best learnings I received in the day and a half conference.
On imagination & creativity-
"The Christian is the one whose imagination should soar beyond the stars." Francis Schafer
"Imagination is a holy and godly tool." Mark Courtney, Daybreak's Creative Director
Visual media is king and churches should put great emphasis on video, graphics, and print materials.
From Shauna Niequist on "living in creative adundance"-
"you get back the energy you give"
"sometimes you have to give something up to make room for creativity"
"the stakes for your creative life are higher than you might imagine"
On change by Dr. Terry Woychowski-
"to change we must move from the mindset of victimization to the mindset of doing the right thing"
"starting now is better than starting later"
"baby steps are better than no steps"
Various comments by Daybreak Pastor Wes Dupin-
"The Holy Spirit changes lives - but we have a responsibility to do our part well"
"We need to creatively and couragously declare Christ"
"You cannot argue people into the kingdom of God but you can create an environment that is favorable to faith"
This was my second year of going to this conference and I have found it beneficial both years. If you are building a creative team or you just want to get some new, fresh ideas I'd check this conference out next year.
The 2008 Infusion Conference is called "Seed" and will be held in May.
Check out www.daybreak.tv
On imagination & creativity-
"The Christian is the one whose imagination should soar beyond the stars." Francis Schafer
"Imagination is a holy and godly tool." Mark Courtney, Daybreak's Creative Director
Visual media is king and churches should put great emphasis on video, graphics, and print materials.
From Shauna Niequist on "living in creative adundance"-
"you get back the energy you give"
"sometimes you have to give something up to make room for creativity"
"the stakes for your creative life are higher than you might imagine"
On change by Dr. Terry Woychowski-
"to change we must move from the mindset of victimization to the mindset of doing the right thing"
"starting now is better than starting later"
"baby steps are better than no steps"
Various comments by Daybreak Pastor Wes Dupin-
"The Holy Spirit changes lives - but we have a responsibility to do our part well"
"We need to creatively and couragously declare Christ"
"You cannot argue people into the kingdom of God but you can create an environment that is favorable to faith"
This was my second year of going to this conference and I have found it beneficial both years. If you are building a creative team or you just want to get some new, fresh ideas I'd check this conference out next year.
The 2008 Infusion Conference is called "Seed" and will be held in May.
Check out www.daybreak.tv
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Every 7 Days
I don't know how most pastors feel...but it seems to me that Sunday comes quicker than any other day. Here at the Ridge, we have three service times...so I preach three times and bam! before I know it, Sunday is here again.
For awhile I took Fridays as my day off, but I quickly learned that I was toast on Mondays, so I switched. However, now it seems I start my week off behind because it begins on Tuesdays.
I'd be interested to hear how other pastors get their rest and their days off...and how they deal with trying to have a relevant, biblical, engaging message every 7 days.
For awhile I took Fridays as my day off, but I quickly learned that I was toast on Mondays, so I switched. However, now it seems I start my week off behind because it begins on Tuesdays.
I'd be interested to hear how other pastors get their rest and their days off...and how they deal with trying to have a relevant, biblical, engaging message every 7 days.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Here We Go!
Hello. Welcome to the first blog entry into our brave little world known as the "new church cooperative".
My name is Darrel and I am the planter/pastor of Sycamore Ridge Community Church in Brookville, Ohio. Our church started with 3 couples nine years ago and now we have three Sunday morning worship services with about 400 in attendance. In many ways our church has made it to where we are today without much help or encouragement from existing churches. We had a little financial assistance in the first two years of the church - but nada since then.
I believe new/newer churches (this is decided by age or attitude) know what it is like to be starting out. My prayer is that we can link together like-minded churches to help each other.
The goal is to empower-encourage-challenge new/newer churches to cooperate in reaching people for Christ. Cooperation includes, but is not limited to, creative resources, administration ideas, marketing/branding, worship, and outreach.
My prayer is this blog will also allow a voice for discussion among pastors, staff and others regarding the struggles and victories of church planting and growing...as well as an open forum to share ideas, thoughts, and inspiration.
So...here we go!
My name is Darrel and I am the planter/pastor of Sycamore Ridge Community Church in Brookville, Ohio. Our church started with 3 couples nine years ago and now we have three Sunday morning worship services with about 400 in attendance. In many ways our church has made it to where we are today without much help or encouragement from existing churches. We had a little financial assistance in the first two years of the church - but nada since then.
I believe new/newer churches (this is decided by age or attitude) know what it is like to be starting out. My prayer is that we can link together like-minded churches to help each other.
The goal is to empower-encourage-challenge new/newer churches to cooperate in reaching people for Christ. Cooperation includes, but is not limited to, creative resources, administration ideas, marketing/branding, worship, and outreach.
My prayer is this blog will also allow a voice for discussion among pastors, staff and others regarding the struggles and victories of church planting and growing...as well as an open forum to share ideas, thoughts, and inspiration.
So...here we go!
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