
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
That's What I Said...

Monday, August 31, 2009
Crowded Creativity

Lefsetz Letter brought this article to my attention today:
Did you read that article in today’s "New York Times" about Microsoft’s response to the Apple "Get A Mac" ads? Deep in, at the bottom of the second to last column, it says this:
"On Madison Avenue, they say that the more hands that touch an advertisement, the worse it becomes."
That’s the beef, but the article continues:
"Microsoft felt differently. ‘They thought the more people saw it and gave an opinion, the better it would be,’ Mr. Musser said. ‘That’s how you develop great software. It’s not how you develop great creative.’"
...So what are the implications for creativity planning for the gathering of followers of Jesus Christ, aka, the church?
Have you ever seen creativity spark in a small group only to see that spark extinguished as more people become part of the discussion? "Sure," you say, "but we need those people to act as quality control in the process. To think of all of the pitfalls that the small group never considered." I agree. It appears to me that there are two elements at work here - one is creative, the other blatantly administrative. The one almost always hinders the other. It's the classic marketers versus bean counters scenario.
However, back to that original group, there's something about two or three people dreaming big - continuing to build upon where the other left off with the dream. And sometimes more, well, it doesn't make the dream bigger, it just makes the dream more...safe.
And I guess that just doesn't feel like dreaming at all.
When did Jesus play it safe?
May we dream big with expectations of more than we can imagine.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Brass Tacks

To be outstanding at customer service, you have to want your customers to love your product, not aspire to satisfaction.
To have you employees consistently make the right decisions, they have to care about the brand, the company, and its success.
Faking it only gets you so far. To give yourself over totally to something, you have to care."
Just makes me think...
In communities of faith around this country we see pastors encouraging their local body to be more loving, more giving, more welcoming, more servant-hearted, more selfless, more genuine, more relevant, more incarnational, more intentional...
...and you realize that no game face can ever fill the void of lifeless, impassionate people living lives of insignificance propped up by the fascade of religion in a box.
Jesus, may I see you. May I really see you and live life uncensored the rest of my days.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Ladies and Gentlemen - I Blog Again!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Jesus, Inc.
