Beating 51 big advertising companies was quite a win for the brothers and probably sent shivers down the spines of advertising executives on Madison Avenue.  Why should companies pay millions for one of their spots, when two nobudies can do it on a dime and a prayer?

This is just one more example of what Andrew Keen talks about in his book, The Cult of the Amateur: How Today’s Internet is killing our culture.  Keen contends that amateurs, like the Herbert brothers, are threatening our most valued cultural institutions.  Blogs, YouTube videos, and webcams let anybody anywhere broadcast their views to anyone everyone.   While book publishers are lagging in sales, companies like lulu, a self-publishing online bookseller, are flourishing as they allow anyone with a manuscript to self-publish his or her book for less than $50.00. 

Which raises a powerful question: who is the editor?  Traditionally editors provided the service of making sure what ever was written, produced, or broadcast was of a certain level of quality.  For example, words would be spelled correctly and put in the right order (grammar anyone?).  They also would push authors to fact check their work to make sure it was accurate.  But with the power of the internet, writers and video artists don’t need a fliter that was caused by the economics of getting something published — today they just need to write and click on the right box to published in a blog or on a website. 

While this is a great threat to some, it also provides an opportunity for the listener.  In the midst of the unfiltered voices truth and genius may be found.  Those nobudies out there might have something to say to all of us.  And that is the dilemma that we find ourselves in today.  A world where anyone can be an author, and where the reader now becomes the editor – sorting out what is true, real, and of value on his or her own.  So as you enjoy your Doritos and dream of winning next year’s contest be aware of the implications.  As we all become the producers of our own content, who will decide what is good, of value, and important for all to hear?

To see the ads go to:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/admeter/2009admeter.htm

Over the last couple of months I have been privileged to take a songwriters class at the Blair School of Music in Nashville.  Each week a songwriter shares his or her story and helps the class look at the craft of songwriting.  Most of the members of the class are songwriters themselves and in many of the sessions they share their music for critique by the speaker and the class.

This last week Laynge Martin, who has written songs like Elvis Presley’s “Way down” and Trisha Yearwood’s, “I Wanna Go Too Far,” was our speaker.

What impressed me about Laynge was his passion for his craft and his desire to be heard.  Some of his advice could be applied to us all.

About music itself he noted that in movies, music is always used to bring the message home.  At the most dramatic point in the story people sing.  For Layne, “songs are really accelerated meaning.”  This reminds us that unlike any other form of communication, music goes straight to the heart.  Lyrics, melody, and rhythm combine to take the listener to a different place of understanding and insight.  The best song becomes your song because it opens a window into what is really important in life.   

Another comment by Layne has importance for us in everyday communication, that “everything we say has a melody and a rhythm.”  The cadence of our speech is really music without the notes.  The tone of our voice, the words we emphasize, and our inflection constantly tells others the state of our emotions, what is important to us, and where our passion lies.

Daniel J. Levitin, author of The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature says the following: “Music, I argue, is not simply a distraction or a pastime, but a core element of our identity as a species, an activity that paved the ways for more complex behaviors such as language, large-scale cooperative undertakings, and the passing down of important information from one generation to the next.”  In his book he says there are basically six types of songs that have formed who we are as humans: songs of friendship, joy, comfort, knowledge, religion, and love.

I might add to this the following thought: before there was speech, culture, and civilization there was music.  Too radical for you.  If you are a parent, my guess is the first form of communication you formed with your infant child was a song.  Maybe it was a coo or a soft hum.  Whatever it was it made a connection that soothed and comforted.  In a sense you became the songwriter as you formed a bond with your child.

Layne made another comment during our time together that really stuck, “what you do everyday becomes your life.”  Days turn to weeks which turn into months which becomes years.  What you do each day has great implications for what you will become in the future.  What you do each moment matters. 

So the next time you listen to a song remember the muse that lurks in the shadow, for if you listen closely the secret of the songwriter will be revealed.

Grace Church DNA:

In the final presentation at this year’s School of Congregational Development, Jorge Acevedo shared the core principles that has turn-around his congregation.  Here are the notes from his presentation: 
1. We are unashamedly Jesus-centered!  Jesus is the Savior, Healer, Transformer and Friend that every human being needs. 

2. We strive for healthy relationships!  Maintaining genuine and authentic relationships are of supreme value.  Repairing our relational messes is essential.

3. We are passionate to reach people!  This means loving people where they are and helping them grow into who God wants them to be.  Everyone is a “child of God and person of worth.”

4. We hunger for transcendent, culturally relevant, meaningful and experiential worship!  The human heart desires to regularly connect with God.  Music, drama, creative arts, and video are some of the ways this happens.

5. We engage people in biblical, relevant and creative teaching!  God’s Word addresses the most fundament issues of life.  Children, youth and adults need to be taught from the Bible.

6. We endeavor to be a radically diverse church.  This includes a mosaic of persons joined together as one community of faith.

7. We value hospitality as an expression of God’s “welcome.”  The kindness of God is expressed intentionally through things like warm greeting, clean bathrooms, and good food.

8. We are a center for healing and recovery!  God has asked us to assist Him in rescuing people from the hell they are living in as well as the hell they are heading to.  We recognize that healing takes time therefore we strive to very patient with people in their healing and recovery.

9. We strive to unleash God’s love, power, and people in ministries to meet the needs of our communities.  These compassion ministries include both aid (meeting basic needs) and advocacy (being a voice for the voiceless).

10. We have a passion and commitment to fulfill for the Great Commission!  This is expressed locally, nationally and internationally.

11. We understand that spiritual growth is a lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus!  Growing in our discipleship includes spiritual habits like self-feeding through daily devotions, using time, talents and treasures for God, engaging in Christian community and serving in the church and world.

12.  We are a multi-site congregation.  We believe strategically located, multiple campuses enable us to more effectively reach our community while being wise and efficient stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

13. We believe ministry is best accomplished in teams of people with diverse gifts and abilities who are bound together with common purpose and covenants of trust. 

Grand Rapids, MI, Aug. 1, 2008–In the video, the face of the pastor is pasted onto the dancing body of Napoleon Dynamite, the title character in a cult comedy movie of 2004.

People under 30 would appreciate the image; those over 40 might not, said the Rev. Mark Beeson, who used the clip to introduce his address to the 2008 United Methodist School of Congregational Development. His topic: “Innovate or Die.”

The point throughout his animated presentation was that the church should not be afraid of change regarding ministries to reach young generations. If the church does not reach the young people of today, it will not have much of a future. “Change is good,” he said.

The pastor of Granger Community United Methodist Church in Granger, Indiana (near South Bend), spoke to two audiences: one gathered in person in Cornerstone United Methodist Church, South Bend, and the other by satellite link from St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Orlando, Florida.

“It’s unbelievable the changes in technology and what it has done to us,” Beeson said. “We no longer learn in a linear fashion…. Everything is story and image.”

The gospel and the mission of the church never change, he said, but the church must find strategies that will engage “postmodern” people, to help them take the next steps toward Christian discipleship.

Punctuating his point that change is good, Beeson said that the church expects people to change when they accept Christ. “The whole world doesn’t go to church,” he said. “You have to give them a reason [to come]. Give them a why…help people take their next steps towards Christ.… Is your cause worth the price of change? Because you’re asking people to change.”

  
The School of Congregational Development is an annual opportunity for United Methodist pastors, administrators, and laypeople to become catalysts for church renewal and growth. The six-day event is sponsored by the General Board of Discipleship and the General Board of Global Ministries. This year it met in two venues linked for some plenary sessions and worship by satellite connection.

Ministry tracks at the school focus on new church starts, church renewal, and outreach to ethnic and minority populations.

In speaking both of new church development or older church revitalization, Beeson put heavy emphasis on the vision, the “So what?”, and the mission. “Mission is why you exist,” he said.

Beeson, who founded Grange Church 22 years ago and is senior pastor, encouraged other pastors to challenge members to use their best talents in the cause of the gospel.

“Most of the people in our churches are under-challenged,” he said, recalling the example of a woman who led a multi-million dollar company but was asked only to usher once a month. “We do not challenge high-capacity people enough,” the speaker said. “Most people would rather be swallowed by a whale than bitten to death by small fish.”

Granger Community United Methodist Church has a membership of some 5,000 and a weekly worship attendance of around 6,000 in multiple services.

*Mary Beth Coudal is a staff writer for the General Board of Global Ministries.

http://gbgm-umc.org/global_news/pr.cfm?articleid=5088

Others in the group agreed.  Here are a couple of things they noted:

1.  People are more fearful — they are not willing to come to a stranger’s house to meet people.  This makes it hard to start small groups in people’s homes.  So you must look at Third Places — like Starbucks to meet people.

2.  Relationships are key — to gather people you must take the time to connect with individuals, like key leaders in the community to develop contacts. 
3.  Timing is important — people aren’t willing to wait too long before you launch worship.  12 to 15 months seems like the longest you can wait.

4.  People are suspicious of religion in general.  So just saying come to church does not attract.  You must give them a reason to want to be part of a faith community.  So saying you are United Methodist (this is my thought) can be a positive because it shows you are part of a larger organization — not just a fly-by-night operation.

These same comments can be heard by owners of movie theaters (see blog on the Oscars), restaurants, and malls  — people seem to be more and more reluctant to leave the safety and comfort of their homes.  About ten year’s ago we called this cocooning. Think about it — through the Internet and your home entertainment system you can bring the world to your home without having to leave.

So even if you are an experienced new church starter, you can’t keep doing the same things over and over again.  You need to adapt to climate of your community and create new ways to connect with people — not for the sake of building a church, but for the purpose of giving people the opportunity to hear of the love of Jesus, the love that truly transforms.

So what other changes are you seeing?  Help make a list by adding your comments.

1.  Even though the popluation of the U.S. has grown over the years, the number of people going to movies has remained flat the last three years.

2.  Movie Theaters find themselves competing with home TV and computer screens.  They have to offer something unique to get people out of their homes.  As people convert to digital TV in the next year, the home experience with wide-screen monitors and full scale sound systems will only get better.

3.  The Youth Boom is in full force.  The “Best of Both Worlds” Concert by Disney teen star Miley Cyrus, has generated $64 million.  Through the 3-D technology they were able to create an immersive experience that you can’t get a home.   Theater owners are betting that the installation of digital projectors will allow them to offer more live-action shows like the Super Bowl and made-for-theater concerts.

Two other comments got my attention.  First, one theater owner experimented with the sound and found the installation of a new sound system was just as significant as what was on the screen.   Second, another owner pointed to the fact that if the theater experience is ruined by people acting up in the audience, no amount of technology will overcome a bad trip to the movies.

So what does this mean for the local church?  One of our biggest challenges is offering an experience that will get people out of their homes and into our sanctuaries.  Things like the sound system, the lighting, and the overall mood of the worship space effects the way we worship.  Finally, the way the audience — the congregation – behaves has a profound effect on how people experience worship.  What brings people back is not just a carefully crafted sermon or beautiful anthem.  They can get that on TV.  What brings them back is the smile from an usher, a kind word from the person sitting next to them, the invitation to return by the person in front of them, and the feeling that the people in the congregation have a passion for God.      

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-03-13-showest-3D_N.htm