Each year I make a few trips to Nashville - to get away, because it’s “Music City” and because my best friend lives there. Today, I leave to go to Nashville for some time away. I don’t know how much I’ll be blogging. I am bringing my laptop (and my guitar) and plan to do some writing. I’m working on a book project and am looking forward to getting away for a bit.
Our whole Worship and Arts staff is reading “The Worshiping Artist” by Rory Noland (author of “The Heart of the Artist”). So far it’s a great read. I encourage you to check it out and consider going through it with your staff and volunteers. This book isn’t just for musicians - it’s for tech, drama and visual art teams as well. What books are you reading with your team?
I read “Design Matters” (by my friends Len Wilson and Jason Moore) a while back, but just now got around to reviewing it. You can read my review HERE on Church Marketing Sucks.
I’m halfway through “The Big Idea” and loving it. I’ve already told several people about it, including the Dallas Theological class I taught this past Monday. My church has been already doing several of the things Dave talks about, which is pretty cool. If you don’t have your copy yet, I encourage you to click on the link and order it. It’s a book that every Church leader should read.
EXTRA:
Last night I ran media for a Phillips, Craig and Dean concert. I was hanging out with the 3 singers, their crew and band backstage. When they asked me what I did, I found we had a lot to talk about. I mentioned that I helped start and lead WorshipHouse Media and found out they are regular users of WorshipHouse. As a matter of fact, they play Igniter’s “That’s My King” at every one of their concerts. Pretty cool!
It had been almost 15 years since I’d seen them in concert and I must admit, they are even better now. I love when they simply lead worship and sing familiar worship songs with their unmistakable 3 part harmony. It’s still unbelievable to think that they are all three Senior Pastors at churches in three different cities. God bless them.
BONUS:
Speaking of Igniter Media Group, their “Long Loops” are being featured as WorshipHouse’s new House Collection, which is a collection of 6 long looping motion backgrounds. Each background is 5 minutes or more in length to enhance your slide backgrounds for worship.
Reading - I love it. I feel we should all be constant learners and stretch our minds as much as possible. I love to read and usually am reading multiple books at the same time (some I’m just starting, some I’m halfway through, some I’m almost finished, etc.). Right now my reading pile is heavy, due to books that people have been sending me to read and review.
Not too long ago, I was sent Mark Batterson’s book “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” - that book is challenging and inspiring and I’m glad to say I’m halfway through that. Before that I got Terry Storch’s manuscript for “The Blogging Church“. Great book. I’ll do a longer review in the near future. Around the same time as Batterson’s book, I was sent Craig Groeschel’s “Confessions of a Pastor“. I’m just starting it, but I can tell we’re on the same wave-length and this will be a great read. (All 3 books can be found in the column over to the left)
Last week I was sent Phil Cooke’s 2 new books. One is entitled “Creative Christian Media: Secrets of Successful Media Ministry“, the other is entitled “Successful Christian Television“. I started reading his “Creative Christian Media” book and am really enjoying it. I look forward to seeing Phil in a few weeks at NRB/Reach.
This week I received Dave Ferguson’s new book, “The Big Idea” (also in the column over to the left). Dave is the pastor of Community Christian Church which I’ve blogged about before - they are the ones that did the Mac vs. PC parody videos. I love Dave’s heart, his blog and can’t wait to start reading his new book. I’ll write a review about it as soon as I finish it. In the meantime, I can go ahead and safely encourage you to get it - it will be worth your while.
The next book review, which I’m doing for Church Marketing Sucks, is on Jason Moore and Len Wilson’s newest book “Design Matters“. I’ve had this book since it was in manuscript form, but am just now getting around to writing a proper review for it. I recommend that all Church staff read this book. It’s great for those that work in design and communications, but is a wonderful resource to educate and enlighten pastors and worship leaders as to what is good design and what goes in to creating quality visuals.
*Here’s some insider news: Besides loving to read, as you know, I love to write. I’m working on my first book. More info on that in the future.
BONUS:
From time to time I mention the great deals and resources at Digital Juice. To start the New Year off they are going crazy with all kinds of deals. Check their homepage and look at all the specials going on.
While at Passion in Atlanta, I was only back with my laptop at like 2am and was too tired to blog. I thought I’d take a moment to share what God did at Passion ‘07. From worship leaders like Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall, Matt Redman and David Crowder to speakers like John Piper, Beth Moore, Louie Giglio and my new favorite speaker: Francis Chan - it was one God-moment after another. God touched my heart, challenged me, encouraged me, stretched me, ministered to me and got my eyes back on what matters most through the words and music of the above mentioned servants.
As I mentioned before, this was my 3rd year serving with the Passion staff. It is an indescribable thing to see God moving among 22,000 college students. These students literally invade the host city and leave it changed for the better. This year, each student brought socks and towels which were given to Atlanta’s homeless. I go each year because God moves in my heart and it encourages me to see the next generation so fired up for Christ and making His name known among the nations. Students gathered from all 50 states and several countries around the world. As happens each year, many students committed their life to Christ for the first time and many dedicated their lives to missions and have committed to as Louie said “pack up the American dream” and move to a nation and work with a people group that has never heard of Jesus.
Personally, I always look forward to seeing what the Passion tech team does with media/video - they are always pushing the boundaries and taking things to the next level. This year was no different. Technology was utilized and pushed to the extremes especially this year, as for the first time, all the students couldn’t fit into one arena (like they had the last 2 years). This year there were about 18,000 college students packed into Phillips Arena (which is downtown, right beside the Georgia Dome). Another 5000 people were packed into the Georgia World Congress Center, which was across the street from Phillips Arena. The students rotated and each had time in Phillips and the GWCC. Each venue had LIVE worship led by the amazing Passion worship leaders. Regardless of what venue you were in, you would worship LIVE with your worship team, then you would join (through the gift of technology) with the students and worship leaders in the other venue and all sing together. Your worship leader would lead the other venue in worship (you watching live and they watching on the video screens), then they would switch and you would watch and worship with the other venue’s worship leader via LIVE video.
Louie Giglio would come out at the GWCC early on and do a welcome, which was seen via video in Phillips Arena. They would then go to a split screen and show Louie in one venue talking to the worship leader in the other venue - and they would talk back and forth and have their venue raise up a shout. After Louie’s welcome, the worship leaders in each venue would continue on leading worship for their crowd, while keeping their eye on a countdown clock which was on the ground in front of the worship leader. Both worship leaders wrapped up their set when the countdown clock told them it was time. Now it was time for the message, and Louie had walked across the street and came on to the stage in Phillips Arena, so the people in the GWCC watched him on the screen. As I said, they pushed the boundaries of technology and did it in a very professional and worshipful way, that wasn’t distracting.
I’ve been emailing back and forth with the Video Director in the main venue (Phillips Arena). He’s been telling me how they pulled some of the things off. I’ll write more about that in a future blog. For the record, they were using ProPresenter, which I blogged about 2 weeks ago and is my newest Charter Sponsor.
Freebie 1:
Get a cool FREE motion background from RevoStock.com HERE.
Freebie 2:
Get Christian Audio’s FREE monthly download HERE. This month they are giving away Andrew Murray’s timeless classic, Absolute Surrender. This is a powerful book! Listen to it as a way to start 2007 with a fresh commitment to being totally surrendered to God’s will in your life.
Use the coupon code, JAN2007 to redeem this audiobook.
Freebie 3:
WorshipHouse Media just switched their monthly FREE download - it’s a powerful and dramatic interpretation of the woman at the well, and her desire to be loved for who she is.
Freebie 4:
SermonSpice is offering a new FREE download - it’s a sermon illustration from 36 Parables entitled “Spilt Milk”.
Freebie 5:
SermonVideos.com is offering a new FREE looping background entitled “Hands to Heaven”.
Phil Cooke just blogged his thoughts on “Seven Things Religious Media Professionals Must Do in 2007″. Here they are:
1. Start the project you’ve always dreamed of creating.
The clock is ticking and you’re not getting any younger. Remember that dream script in the desk drawer you’ve always wanted to produce? Or the TV series you planned on the back of a napkin? Or the company you always believed would change the industry? Stop dreaming and start doing. There’s no better time than now.
2. Understand the power of a compelling brand.
In a media-driven culture, a compelling brand is the key to breaking through the media clutter and getting noticed by your audience. A successful brand is the story that surrounds a product, organization, or person, and it’s much more than just a logo. It’s a promise you make to your viewers or customers, and it powers the connection that transforms companies, and revolutionizes fundraising. Don’t end 2007 without creating a strong brand identity for your station, network, church, or ministry.
3. Carry a small notebook and pen everywhere you go.
Ideas are fragile, and your memory doesn’t always work. Write it down. Ideas come in the strangest places, and if you don’t write them down, you’ll lose the idea that could transform your future. Many people type notes on a handheld PDA and then download them into a computer. Either way, if you don’t record your ideas, you’ll regret it later. Phone conversations, meeting notes, spiritual insight, breakthrough ideas – write them down.
4. Read more novels.
Because most religious media professionals deal with reality – preaching and teaching programs, interviews, documentaries, commercials, etc, we often forget the power of drama. Make a commitment to read more fiction this year (and not just “Christian fiction”), and learn the art of storytelling. As my old writing teacher told me, great fiction may not be “true” but it’s “truth.”
5. Spend less time on what’s urgent and more time on what matters.
Think about your epitaph. Will they praise your great ability to handle e-mail, or your genius at company politics? Or will they honor the time you spent as a husband and father, or how you accomplished great things with your life? Eliminate the distractions – including the people who end up just wasting your time – and focus on real priorities. Whoever invented the “open door” policy for leaders never accomplished much. Be accessible to your team, but don’t be afraid to shut the door and achieve the big picture priorities in your life.
6. Go HD.
It’s time. High definition is here, and while there are plenty of competitive products and standards, it’s time to make the change. Start this week on a strategy for upgrading your equipment, and get proven, expert help for every step. Right now, networks are looking for HD product, so the chances of getting your program broadcast might be even better if it’s on HD. There’s a wide range of options, and for my money, I’d rather have a low budget HD facility than a big budget standard definition facility.
7. Remember the reasons you chose this career.
It’s so easy to get caught up in advancing technology, paying the bills, and the daily grind, we often forget the reason we decided on a career in media in the first place. Chances are, you had a dream back then, and the question is – was that vision ever accomplished? In 2007, cut through the clutter, and get back to the heart of why you do this for a living.
* Again, those are Phil Cooke’s Top 7 list for 2007. Do you agree? What do you think about #6? Phil has an HD poll that he’d love for you to participate in. Go HERE to vote.
Mark Batterson sent me a copy of his new book, which I blogged about a while back. I’m about halfway through it and loving it. Mark just announced on his blog that his church is going to try offering “Chase the Lion” resources for FREE. They are going to experiment with an open-source message series. Here’s why: They want to equip others churches to do a Chase the Lion series… so they’re making all of their graphics and videos downloadable and customizable.
Here are some of the free downloads @ chasethelion.com:
1) All series graphics including bookmark and poster.
2) The series trailer that we played each week before the message.
3) All audio messages
4) All message transcripts
5) All of our video illustrations
A few churches have already planned a Chase the Lion series for January. NCC hopes the free resources will help. Mark also would love to know who is going to do a series. Shoot him an email at mark@theaterchurch.com.
My friends Len Wilson and Jason Moore of Midnight Oil Productions are continuing their series on “Worship Design Teams That Work” with a new article that looks at some of the problems that keeps teams of good people from taking flight. As the title indicates, “Success Is
In the Details”. Learn more HERE.
Also, have you seen MO’s Christmas Star image tutorial? This free web resource, which is also part of their book “Design Matters: Creating
Powerful Imagery for Worship“, provides source material and a step-by-step instruction manual for creating your very own nativity scene for worship. Check it out HERE.
BONUS:
Have you heard of Google Mobile SMS? It might be worth checking out. Heard of Google docs? I’m starting to try it out. Thoughts?
Yesterday WFX concluded. I got to see some friends from various ministries across the country, meet Craig Janssen from Acoustic Dimensions and hear my friend, author and speaker Rex Miller, deliver the keynote address. Rex is a truly a great guy. Besides are regular get-togethers for lunch and lively discussion, Rex once paid for my wife and I to go to a marriage seminar weekend - for which we will forever be grateful. I really enjoyed hearing him speak and encourage you to get and read his book “The Millennium Matrix”. You can check out his website HERE. I think it’s a little messed up, but you can get a feel for what his ministry is like. He works in both the business and church world - which I think is really cool. To buy his book, go HERE.
TRAVEL:
Sunday night I fly to Fort Myers, Florida to speak at the Florida Baptist Convention on Monday and Tuesday. I look forward to a good time in the great state of Florida and hope to meet many new friends in the faith. Pray for me as I share and teach from my heart at this gathering.
PERSONAL:
Last night I had the joy of celebrating my daughter’s 6th birthday. We held our first “sleep over”. I’m officially old now.