Church of the Biggest Loser

There are only a handful of reality TV shows that I really dig watching on a regular basis. If you’ve never seen The Biggest Loser, it’s where a bunch of overweight people compete over 13 weeks to lose the most weight, win $250,000, and get the honor of being named … the biggest loser.

There are also quite a few interesting parallels between The Biggest Loser and a good church.

Here are my top five observations:

1. Inspirational. Week after week, you get to see people work extremely hard, as individuals and teams, to accomplish some amazing things. Some of these people, besides being overweight, are struggling with sever emotional and psychological issues … and overcoming them. I once let it slip out loud that I was more inspired each week from watching The Biggest Loser than going to church … Oops.
2. Community. Only one person can ultimately win the grand prize, but there’s a genuine sense of community among the contestants. They encourage each other, cheer for each other, celebrate others successes, and console their setbacks.
3. Educational. In addition to learning an exercise routine that works, they’re learning about the role of food in their lives and how to make it work for them, rather than against them. It’s very practical and relevant to their daily lives.
4. Interactive. Viewers of the program are encouraged to go online to learn more for themselves the tips and strategies that the contestants are learning. Anyone can get involved from wherever they are.
5. Transformational. There’s a line from a voiceover at the end of each show that really grips me: “…The Biggest Loser Club. It’s changing lives.” What a direct rip off of what every church should be able to say!

Just please don’t ask me how in-shape I’ve gotten … I’d be ashamed to tell you.

Going Hollywood For 15 Seconds

Before I began working here, Highland Park Presbyterian Church entered into an advertising contract with a company that places spots in local movie theaters. The intended campaign was put on hold for various reasons but the company graciously allowed us to postpone our ads in order to revamp.

Admittedly, it’s a generic “we’re all about people” ad. While I would have preferred a more developed and targeted marketing campaign, here is our 0:15 sec. spot to run for 13 weeks before the movies begin at AMC Northpark Mall in Dallas, Texas. Don’t blink. You might miss it.

more about “Going Hollywood“, posted with vodpod

I Gave Myself a Facelift

Made you look! Not me, Goober. My blog. My wife was looking over my blog the other day and said, “OK, I get the whole ’simplicity’ thing. But c’mon. Your blog header is awful. You’re better than that.” Upon reflection, I had to agree. She was right. It was awful. What was I thinking?

So there. Now that’s a little better. Say goodbye to the cheesy boring clipart. Hello to joe. Yes?

www.echoconference.com

EHCO! … Echo … echo … (echo)

Oh yeah! [THIS] is where our Communications team from Highland Park Presby is headed this coming Thursday night, Friday, and Saturday. It’s the premiere (as in the very first) national conference for church leaders who love using media, technology and the Internet to be more effective in sharing God’s story.

Oh, Just Your Average Tuesday

Got to hang out with Richard Reising, author of Church Marketing 101: Preparing Your Church for Greater Growth, for lunch on Tuesday. He says, “Over 50 percent of churches should not market themselves.” And that’s the good news. The bad news is that 100 percent of churches are already doing marketing whether they know it or not. The truth is you’re already doing it intentionally, or unintentionally, either well or poorly.

He founded Artistry Marketing 10 years ago to fulfill God’s calling on his life to use his secular marketing experience for His kingdom. Richard’s heart and passion to help local churches communicate more effectively – and grow – is evident in everything he says.

There’s also some exciting things going on over at Artistry Marketing that will be rolling out very soon. Keep your eye on them.

If you haven’t already read his book, I highly recommend it as a ‘must read’ to understand the fundamentals of how everything your church is doing relates to marketing.

Then later that night, my wife and I had … BY FAR … the most amazing seats to see the Rangers vs. Mariners game. Here was our view from our front row seats right beside the batter’s box. We could have reached out and touched the players.

If you know me well at all, you know I’m not the biggest sports fan in general. But even I could appreciate this vantage point. The Rangers won 11 to 10. Pretty cool.

Peddling Hard

OK, so. I just finished day two of “Operation: New Job.” While I’m experiencing a measure of overwhelmedness, I’m also more energized and excited than ever about the opportunities that lie ahead. HPPC’s Communications Ministry* has undergone a huge transformation over the last few months with some big-time turnover, but the new team is entirely in place and ramping up fast.

Enormous changes – enhancements and improvements – will be coming, rolling out strategically over the next several weeks and months. To quote Sinatra, “The best is yet to come and babe, won’t it be fine.”

*Note the use of Communications Ministry rather than Department. That’s just one significant positioning phrase being used to help the staff fully understand and appreciate our mission and purpose.

I’m Back

This post marks my official return to the blogosphere from an extended break. So where was I? Wouldn’t you like to know. Neither here nor there … there’s a new me dawning.

Not only a new look-n-feel [and WordPress platform] for this blog, but a new position with another church that I will assume full-time on Tuesday, July 1, 2008. I will be an Art Director (Associate Director of Communications) with Highland Park Presbyterian Church. I’m uber excited to work with Jon, Chris, Zach, and the rest of the HPPC gang.

This is where I will blog about church communications, ministry marketing, promotions, advertising, and [dare I say] ministry philosophy, and how they all work in synergistic tandem to raise our message above the noise of the everyday and connect people to Jesus Christ. And I’ll probably share some of my ever exciting, and always interesting, personal life.

It is so good to be back.