Remembering Today!

As many of my friends are looking forward to happy hour celebrations of Cinco de Mayo today, I am preparing for a church meeting and my mind is flooded with memories.  I am remembering a time 18 years ago when my family was getting settled into a new home in a new city and searching for a new church.  I had already made the switch to United Methodism (I am a recovering Southern Baptist) and over the previous 8 years, I felt like I had this tribe and its preachers pretty well figured out.  And then I met him, G. Steve Sallee, and my perceptions were turned on their proverbial heads!

Steve was coming to Cokesbury Church in the spring of 1996 after spending 17 years building the largest attended church in the Holston Conference and pioneering contemporary worship for his peers.  He introduced me to the idea that church wasn’t for me but that if we were to take the Bible seriously, we would create a church that was open to the people Jesus hung out with – the least, the last and the lost!  He challenged me and the 750 other regular attenders at that time to share the Gospel with these people by reaching out to them and serving them.  Imagine that!  Our numbers quickly shrank to 500 in the new revolution… Imagine that!

Over the next decade and a half, the milestone moments that occurred for Cokesbury Church are too numerous for this volume,  like underbidding a car dealer for a vacated Lowe’s hardware store that would become a ministry center that changed the face of worship in west Knoxville.  More importantly, we forged a friendship that involved a lot of laughing, some crying and many hours of pursuing new avenues to “love people into a relationship with Jesus Christ to change the world!”  Eighteen years later, that remnant of 500 attenders has grown into 3,600 worshippers serving in ministries that share Jesus regularly with thousands of people every month.

A few years ago, disease struck at Steve’s heart, and he fought it off valiantly.  But, his doctors warned him every year at his exams, whatever you do, don’t get sick.  Most successful men would take this opportunity to pack up their tool kits, guard themselves against the stray germs that swirl around us and rest on the laurels of a great career.  This career path option was not in Steve’s DNA, he still had work to be done and people to be reached.  And then, in April of last year, Steve got sick and it turned into pneumonia.  And, of course, the competitive nature inherent in Steve fought again, but on May 2, the fight ended.

So today, my mind is distracted with the memories of a pastor, a colleague, a boss, a partner, a confidante, a friend and a brother.  Steve Sallee was all that and much more to me over these many years and like brothers, we didn’t always agree.  Probably one of the most important lessons I learned from Steve was that you don’t let these minor differences of opinion grow into enmity that will erode a relationship over time and get in the way of sharing the Gospel.  His legacy is and always will be his dedication and drive to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19 – Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Thanks Steve for leaving your imprint on my life and the
thousands of other people that know Jesus because you cared enough to reach out a hand!

The Super of Bowl of Christianity

The NFL has its Super Bowl, the NCAA has its Final Four and Major League Baseball has the World Series.  Whether you watch all these events or not, my guess is that you are keenly aware of all three and probably impacted in some way by one or two of them.  As a matter of fact, MSN reports that the estimated lost productivity due to the NCAA basketball tournament this year could be as high as $2 billion, that is billion, with a B!  Nielsen reported that 111.5 million Americans watched the Super Bowl; I wonder how many tuned in just for the $4,000,000 commercials.

This week is the Super Bowl of Christianity, Easter Week or Holy Week, depending on your tribe.  This is the week that we celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, his final teachings and a special P
assover meal, his betrayal, trial, crucifixion and resurrection from the tomb.   The entire basis for our faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah resides in the events we celebrate this week.  If this is the most sacred time on the Christian calendar, where then are the  billion dollar television advertising campaigns and the hundreds of millions of interested spectators?

One thing that I hope Holy Week has in common with these sporting events is the “chatter.”  Chatter ranging from conversations in break rooms about this unbelievable man Jesus, social media posts about what this week means to us and most importantly, invitations to experience worship and see how this man Jesus has transformed lives 2,000 years later.  I challenge you to really imagine what your neighborhood, community and city would be like if we all invited just one person to hear and respond to the hope that Easter has to offer.   Can you see neighbors feeding strangers, businesses being good stewards of the environment, and people generally and unconditionally loving each other?  Who can you tell…

How Do I Share my Story Without Being Obnoxious?

We all have people in our social networks that are constantly posting self-important boasts and regaling us with the exploits and adventures of their charmed life.  Conversely, we have those negative nellies that are constantly bemoaning the burdens of life and blaming everyone and everything for their plight.  If you are like me, you tune those people and their posts out very quickly!  But, there are those precious few that share infrequently, but when they do it is insightful and honest and maybe even provocative at times.  Not only do I read these posts voraciously, but I long to hear from them again and again.

This post is titled how to share your story without being obnoxious, but it is really about understanding how and when to use your influence with other people.  In the previous two posts we discussed why anybody would be interested in your story and then how to craft your story.  Now let’s talk about how to share your story effectively with the best impact.

Someone that has a lot of influence on me, Jenni Catron, wrote in her new book, Clout:

“What I’ve learned after years of sharing my story and hearing so many of yours is that we all do this in one way or another.  We find a faulty foundation upon which we establish our sense of purpose.  I believe it is essential that you recognize as soon as possible how you’ve shaped your view of yourself.  Everything you do springs from this perception.”

Jenni is telling us that  we all let our egos get in the way of using our God-given influence or, clout, to tell our stories in a way that people can relate and learn.

Once you get over yourself, then it is time to look at the context and timing of sharing your story.  If you had a specific person in mind when you worked on your story, then you should have a feel for the best time and circumstances to share your influence.  Whether you did or didn’t, this part of sharing your story is about building a relationship.  As we have all experienced ourselves, well intended advice received at the wrong time went in one ear and out the other.  And somewhere between the ears, we might have gotten our feelings hurt and angry even though the person’s motives were pure.   The key for you to remember is that the best timing is not when it is convenient for you but when the other person is ready to hear and receive it.

The whole point of this series of posts is to motivate you to be prepared to share your story because opportunities will most likely arise when you least expect it.  I don’t expect you to write an awe inspiring sermon or the great American novel.  I do expect you to be ready to respond when a friend or acquaintance or maybe a total stranger asks you a why question about your life.  If your thoughts are organized in advance then you can focus on having an engaging interaction that just might change someone’s eternity.  Maybe a future post will take a look at how we can have these impactful conversations on social media.

If you have been inspired to write and share your personal story with people in your circle of influence, there are many great resources to help you.  I highly recommend you read Jenni Catron’s book Clout that I mentioned earlier in this post.  Another great resource is Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg of Willlow Creek Community Church.   Contagious Christian walks you through the process of understanding your story of faith and relating it to people in a non-threatening way.

What are the most effective or unusual places or methods where you have shared your story?

How Do I Write My Story Without Looking Like a JERK?

This is the second in a series of three blog posts about telling your story.  The subject of this post is about how to put together your story so you can share it with other people.  The goal is not to come up with a compelling argument or puffy, self-grandiose auto-bio, but to relate your experiences in an authentic way that someone else might find helpful or comforting.

Once you have put your ego in check, then ask yourself what was my life or situation like before.  What was causing me pain, stress, anxiety or discomfort?  How did it feel?  How did it affect me and those around me?  What caused my life/situation to change, specifically?  How exactly did it occur and what was your initial reaction?  How did you feel as you were going through or processing this change?  Then describe your present situation and how you have resolved the issues you described.  There it is, answer these questions honestly and in detail and you have your story!

There are a few factors that can determine when, where and with whom your story can be impactful, which basically translates into telling your story in the proper context.  In a Christian context, your story relates how your life was before your relationship with Jesus and how it has changed since accepting Christ.  In a marketing context, your story tells how your brand or your product solved a problem for your clients or customers.  In any context, there is a before scenario and the after effect with a change catalyst (Δ), no matter how dramatic or subtle, that created the new situation.

Probably the most difficult part of writing your story is describing the change that occurred to propel you to the new state you or the after-story.  The level of difficulty depends on how and to whom you are relating your story; for example are you trying to share that a person is capable of change.  The fine line is you don’t want to “undersell” the process because in most cases change usually requires some effort.  Likewise, you don’t want to “oversell” the change because your hearer may feel it is too overwhelming for them to undertake.

The easy part is relating the after-effect of the story because they can probably see the change in you.  Even if it is not an obvious change, it should be easily related because it is the emotional or physical state you are currently enjoying.  But I caution you, be sensitive to your hearer and how they will receive this part of the story; what I mean is don’t be a jerk and rub their nose in your good fortune.

Now comes the really hard part, self-assessing your story for authenticity and integrity.  Is your story an honest representation of your experience?  Is it authentic or is it self-important and condescending?  The true impact of your story comes from its authenticity, not necessarily because of its dynamic action or grandiose language.  If your objective is to influence change in another person, a story with integrity will make it easier for your audience to relate and accept it as authentic.   We will discuss the influence of your story in the next post.

Share below some examples of how your story has been received by others, good and bad!

Next is the final post in the series:  How do I share my story without being obnoxious?

Everybody’s Got a Story to Tell!

I recently heard a song in worship with the lyrics, everybody’s got a story to tell and it caused me to wonder, really, everybody?  I quickly came to the conclusion, agreeing with the songwriter that, yes, EVERYBODY has a story tell.  Granted it might not be ready for the New York Times Bestseller List, but in the right forum in a particular format and at a certain level, your story can have an impact on another human being.  The impact can be positive or negative, that depends on you, but for heaven’s sake don’t let your story be apathetic.

This is the first of a series of blog posts dedicated to telling your story.  Today we will address the question, why does anyone care about MY story?  Future posts will explore how to tell your story without looking like a jerk and sharing your story without being obnoxious.

I can already see, metaphysically, the incredulous look on your face.  You are already thinking, my story is ________, insert your own self-deprecating adjective (boring, uninspiring, depressing, normal, etc.).  If you inserted awesome or “ready for TV” then you might want to dial it back a bit!  Either way, your perception of yourself is just that, your perception.  It is shaped by your own experiences and prejudices and self-assessments others probably don’t have about you.  In order to find your story, you have to step out of your own skin for a moment so that you can divorce yourself from these inhibiting self-perceptions.

Why would anybody want or need to hear my story anyway?  There are a multitude of reasons, but primarily it’s because we humans are not designed to live in a vacuum.  We need to learn lessons from others’ experiences or we need affirmation that our actions/attitudes/feelings are on track.  Most times it is just a normal part of the relationship building process we go through with other humans, mostly with the opposite sex.  No matter the reason or situation, we need to be prepared to share our story when required, not necessarily to appear polished and professional but so that we can be authentic and genuine with someone who might be looking for answers or serious help.  We will talk in the next post about how to prepare your story.

And finally, don’t get overly profound about the “impact” your story will have on someone.  As you are crafting your story or relating it to another person, don’t even presume that it will change them one iota.  Sharing your story with another person might be one step of many in building a relationship or set the stage for further conversation about a particular subject, like Jesus for example.  More often than not, you may never know the positive impact your story has on others or it may not happen for some time.  The point is we all have a story to tell that could positively affect the perception, emotion or even the eternity of another human being so be prepared to share your story.

Share in the comments below how your story impacted others and why do you think it was effective?

The next post in the series is:  How do I write my story without looking like a jerk?

Is the Digital Revolution SAFE for the church!

Webster’s online dictionary defines revolution as “a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something : a change of paradigm.”  European and American cultures have experienced many different revolutions throughout history: the French Revolution, the American Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution to name a few. For centuries, people of all cultures have advocated a change in government or in major systems and pursued new paradigms, peacefully or otherwise.  These days, it seems that major changes or revolutions in how we live and work  occur every few years.

Now the christian church is another matter altogether.  Some theologians and scholars say that we see major changes in the church about every 500 years!  (Phyllis Tickle, The Great Emergence)  Others argue that the church hasn’t changed much in 2000 years.  Technology and communication tools are changing so rapidly that we can connect with anyone, almost anywhere, at anytime.  So, why are so few churches embracing new and innovative ways to tell Jesus’ story?  I think there are two major issues that church leaders must overcome.

Comfort.  I think many congregations are comfortable with each other.  Even when new people darken the churches door, they soon leave because they can’t break through the years of relationship bonds the congregation has built.  Learning new skills and using new tools also threatens our comfort zones.  But the biggest concern I have is that many pastors are afraid to upset the comfort zones of their members with new communication tools that will expose unbelievers to the Gospel.  Correct me if I am wrong, but the Great Commission doesn’t say anything about keeping your congregation happy!

Fear.  This hurdle is universal for leaders of all shapes and sizes.  Fear of the unknown is an impediment that stalls our progress into new frontiers.  I would also argue that fear of success is as paralyzing as fear of failure.  What if we  compel new people into our church, what do we do then?  What if they have questions, what if they have problems? How will my  congregation react?  These are real questions that you need to prepare for, but they shouldn’t be roadblocks for implementing new means to share Jesus’ story.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a three-part strategy to overcome these issues.  The best advice is to gather your leadership team and any other willing souls to pray with you; for courage to break out of comfort zones and overcome fears of the unknown.  I also challenge you to pray for discipline to stay the course when some of these fears become realities.  If you are a lay person, support and encourage your pastors to embrace the digital revolution to spread the Gospel.

SoLoMo…Is that with Vodka or Gin?

Why is it that we have to give every marketing concept or idea, no matter how simple, a kitschy nickname or acronym?  Such is the case with SoLoMo an acronym for social – local – mobile, a recipe for targeting and directing customers to your products and services.  In my opinion, this concept is more marketing common sense or savvy than glitzy catch-phrase.  As a matter of fact, it should be a standard operating procedure for any organization wanting to grow their business from their own backyard.  Let’s take a look at how SoLoMo can grow your sales or increase your membership without any fancy moves or toys.

First and foremost, there is not a single recipe that every business or organization can use to increase revenue.  How you integrate social media and mobile marketing tools into a local strategy is unique to your business so it is critical that you are authentic and consistent with your brand.  For example, an electrician or a roofer might not benefit from Foursquare but maybe Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter would be more useful.  Also, if you are using a strategy to drive customers to your retail location, your sales staff needs to be aware of any offers or content being distributed and they should be trained to help customers access and use mobile and social information.

The second, and equally as important a consideration is that your SoLoMo strategy needs to focus on your customer.  You need to leverage social media channels where your customers go for information and networking.  It is also critical that your content and offers are accessible on mobile platforms.  For example, make sure your website and landing pages are mobile-ready and easy to use.  Don’t just reduce the size for a smaller screen, filter out content and images that are not crucial to the offer or message you want to convey.  And as I mentioned earlier, use your sales staff to educate customers how to access and share your mobile content.

Finally, as with any marketing initiative, it is critical you track the results of your efforts.  Maybe designate an employee to track increase in activity resulting from your SoLoMo plan.  Also, get feedback from your customers on your social and mobile activities; was it helpful, was it easy to use, did you share it with friends.  And don’t forget to listen to social media for other feedback or opportunities and respond timely.

Have you tried any SoLoMo strategies to increase your business?  Share your successes and tips that can make us all better marketers!

Why Social Media is an Epic Fail in the Church! Part III

In my last post, we discussed the first of two reasons why churches complain that their social media program is unsuccessful.  That issue is  their content is mostly self-promoting and self-serving and thus non-engaging.  The second reason that many churches are unsuccessful using social media in their outreach is that they aren’t listening to their networks.  Let’s take a look at the power of monitoring social networks and engaging people “socially.”

The real strength of social media and for that matter, the internet as a whole, is the ability to interact in one-to-one and one-to-many conversations.  So, if you are only publishing content, you are approaching social media with “one hand tied behind your back!”  How then do we listen to or monitor our social networks to engage with our current audience but also start conversations with new friends?  Here are a few ideas.

Pay attention.  This is the simplest strategy to implement.  Just watch your social media sites and anytime anyone comments, shares, follows or likes your content, RESPOND!  For example, each time you get a new follower to your Twitter account, send them a direct message or tweet to thank them and give them a link to your website or blog.  Even thanking people for simply “liking” your content will encourage them to continue to engage with you in the future.

Identify keywords.  You can widen your net by searching social networks using keywords related to your company, products and industry.  You can even keep an eye on your competitors.  There are many ways to monitor these searches, you can receive daily updates on blogs from Google Reader.  You can also use sites like Social Mention to search keywords on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others.

Find tools or get help.  To perform more comprehensive monitoring and engaging, you can employ any number of paid tools.  Many of these tools are called aggregators that not only help you listen over multiple social platforms but to engage and measure results as well.  Vendors include Argyle Social that I use as well as the Awareness Hub, Radian6 and many more.  If you are not staffed or have resources to dedicate to in-house monitoring, there are many vendors that can monitor for you for a reasonable monthly fee, like Ethos Social Media.

Addressing these two issues, more relevant content and engagement, can improve the results from your social media pretty quickly.  What are some tips you have tried that improved your content and engagement?

Why Social Media is an Epic Fail in the Church! Part II

As we embrace the new year and look back on 2012, many churches are complaining that social media is not working for them.  If we analyzed each and every situation, we could distill the problems from all of them into the following two related issues:

1)  The content being published is primarily self-promoting and non-engaging, and

2)  They are not actively listening to their social networks.

I say these are related issues, because if your content does not contain any calls to action, then there is nothing to listen for in your networks.  Revising your content strategy can be easily and quickly accomplished.  Here are some ideas for pumping out more engaging content.

Incorporate more pictures and video,  A LOT MORE!  Lets face it, we humans are innately voyeurs, particularly if we are the subjects.  People more readily share, like and comment on pictures and videos so make it easy for your followers to engage.

Highlight people doing ministry.  One of the main purposes of your social media strategy should be to tell your church’s story.  You want outsiders to get to know your church.  I can’t think of a better way to show others what you are all about than capturing your people involved in ministry.  Go behind the curtain with the pastors and staff, follow volunteers out into the mission field, show the youth and children in action and then let the previous tip take effect (i.e. people love sharing pictures of themselves, their kids and friends).

Ask engaging questions.  Pastors do this verbally or rhetorically every week in their sermons, so utilize the same questions and ideas in your posts.  Always give your audience a call to action or for a response, like click on a video, comment on a blog post or volunteer for a service project.  The more people engage with your content, the more people will see it, thus widening the cast of your outreach net.

Have fun!  This may sound like common sense or something, but I can’t tell you how many times I have seen content on social media that is bland or downright depressing.  I usually assume that the culture of the organization with bland content is also bland, whether it really is or not.  If your team is having fun with its social media ministry, it will shine through to people that may be contemplating whether to visit on Sunday.

This addresses the first problem, your content should be generating more activity and engagement from followers, both inside and outside the church.  But how do I “listen” to social media and engage with our networks.  Tune in to Part III of this series and get some insight into monitoring your networks.

Why Social Media is an Epic Fail in the Church!

Bottom line, the average church FAILS at social media because most are afraid to take the first, serious step to make it a viable tool.  Pastors are always telling us that its “not about the numbers” when referring to converting unbelievers.  But most are hesitant to embark on a social strategy because their “numbers” aren’t large enough.  It is time for pastors to connect the dots and understand that social media is part of your overall evangelism and discipling ministries.  And with evangelism, social media is about quality and not necessarily quantity.  Here are some ideas to at least get the ball rolling.

Find a staff person that is active on social media.  They do not have to be an expert in social media and they should NOT be responsible for all content creation and publishing.  It is important to have a staff person involved so they can have access to event scheduling and content.  They will become the go-to person for the rest of the staff and the congregation for social media opportunities and issues.

Recruit a team of volunteers.  The team should be a cross-section of the congregation and most definitely should have some young people.  This team should be responsible for posting content and sharing with their own networks to stretch the church’s social net into the community, as well as monitoring and engaging with followers.  Cast a vision for the desired results from social media and brainstorm with the group how to create the desired outcomes.

Promote, promote, promote!  Let your congregation know that the church is using social media and why.  The “why’s” can be as an evangelism tool for reaching out to the community or a communication channel for the congregation, or both and then some!  Also, don’t forget to let your visitors know they can connect with the church on social media channels.  Print your addresses on bulletins, brochures and on the screens, shirts, hats, everywhere on everything!

Now you have made a serious start by implementing the above, but remember, IT IS ONLY THE START!  Check out the next post for tips on monitoring and engaging strategies for your social media.  The real power in your social media activity is listening and engaging with the people “out there” that are looking for answers, looking for healing, looking for HOPE!  Church, what is holding you back now?