I am Jamaica's husband, Foursquare's comm director, Personality's founder, and a catalyst for CFCC.
I'm also blogging at:
Personality™
Church Marketing Sucks
February 2007 Archives
« January 2007 | | March 2007 »
February 26, 2007
My King
Filed under: Inspiration
I've always been a fan of this brilliant oration given by Dr. S. M. Lockridge, a minister from Southern California. It's linked all over the web, including a video that Igniter Media put together. I originally heard the sermon mixed up real fresh by Scott Blackwell back in the early '90s. I think the album (Walk on the Wild Side) dates back to 1992. I'm playing the song as I type this. I'm so glad I copied over my CDs to iTunes a few years ago!
I'm putting the transcript here, although it does not do justice to the rhythm, emotion and soul happening when this was captured.
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 22, 2007
Comm Team Strengths Day
Filed under: Brad Works
Spent the day with my Foursquare Communications team. All 14 of us gathered at The Standard, a hipster hotel in downtown Los Angeles. I love taking my teams to different environments. In addition to getting minds outside of the typical work flow, it also exposes us to different ways of thinking, associating and creating.
Our primary agenda was to process some of the journey we've been on the last six weeks as I took the team through the book Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton. I did this same process with my Personality™ team back in July/August of last year.
The book is just plain phenomenal. If you haven't read it, you're missing out.
Things get really exciting for me when everyone lays their strengths out and we start to imagine how they intersect with each other. In the context of building a team, it is thrilling how everyone starts seeing ways they can work better together. Not only does it help me as a leader figure out ways to maximize individual strengths, it also helps me figure out how to get some people moved to other areas where their strengths are better used.
The result of our time today is a more focused team, re-organized around our strengths, that will make way for better collective output and individual fulfillment. Bam.
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
Jotting Notes, Hands Free
Filed under: Stuff I Like
Just started playing around with Jott today. Jott is a cool little tool that allows me to call a number from my cell phone, leave a message (up to 15 seconds), and it will automatically transcribe it, then e-mail me the text. It also sends me a link to listen to the actual recording of my voice in case there are words that got mixed up in transcription, or if I just want to hear my original message. There is also the option of distributing jotts to others.
The verdict is out to see if this will prove helpful to me. I can already see some possibilities emerging, like when I am in the car and can't write something down. I can call my jott number and have my note e-mailed to me.
Thanks to Jay Kelly for spreading the love.
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 21, 2007
Reginald
Filed under: The City
“How much longer until you get home?” I asked Jamaica. I had just gotten home from the office and was debating whether to do my usual treadmill routine, or wait for her arrival and eat dinner first.
“I’m about 45 minutes away, what do you want for dinner?”
“I don’t know. Would you rather just go out?”
It was the night before Valentine’s Day. We were not going to be together because Jamaica teaches on Wednesday nights, and she gets home really late.
“Sure, let’s eat out instead.”
“Great, then we can walk around a bit afterward and I don’t have to do the treadmill.”
We tried out a new place just a few blocks away. It was a simple menu; we ate light and conversed deeply. On our way back home, a lanky man approached us with a Styrofoam cup, jingling a few coins inside.
“Could you please help a brother out?”
Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 20, 2007
George and Trampas
Filed under: The City
“Are you in school?” Perhaps intrigued by the youthful packaging of his audience of one, the words made their way from George’s tired vocals. It was a Tuesday night last fall, just a couple months after we had moved in. It would be one of my final Tuesday nights walking from the parking garage this late from class. My pillow-destined posture had to have been apparent.
“Where do you take classes?” George asked, apparently not worrying about where he was going, but somewhat confident that he would arrive soon. I was halfway through my two-block walk to the entrance of our building when our paths converged. George was pushing a cart. I was pushing 11:15 pm. The streets were quiet. Our move to this downtown loft is years ahead of practical. We knew we were moving into an area that is less than many dream about, yet more than we would ever expect.
“I just got back from a class at Biola,” I responded, as if I could have said anything and it would have satisfied the need for a verbal exchange to take place.
“One… three… eight… zero zero… Biola avenue.”
“Stop it George. How do you know the address?”
“La Mirada, California, nine… zero… six…”
“George! How do you know the address for Biola?” I was insistent, quickly glancing over my externalities, as if a tuition bill was taped to my chest pocket.
Continue reading "George and Trampas"
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 19, 2007
Goodbye Orlando, Until April
Filed under: Brad Works
I'm sitting in the Orlando airport, awaiting the arrival of my last meeting before heading out tonight back to LA. Airport meetings are a pain, especially when the people meeting are on different airlines in different terminals with different security checkpoints. Doh!
Just finished up lunch with Cameron Strang (president of Relevant Media Group). Cameron and I met 10 years ago and haven't kept in touch much. It was good to get re-acquainted. I am particularly exited about some of the synergies that exist with Relevant and some of the stuff I am involved in like the Foursquare NextGen Summit (placeholder site) and Church Marketing Sucks. The conversation is just getting started!
Also had a very brief greeting/meeting with Bill Seaver, a blogger I've recently started paying attention to. Bill just joined the team at White Post Media, and has a real passion for seeing new media used strategically for churches and ministries.
It's been a long weekend with several great meetings. My workshop yesterday at NRB/Reach went well, but was poorly attended. I started to take it personal before I realized other presenters experienced similar sized crowds. Who wants to go to a workshop on Sunday afternoon in Orlando? I didn't think so.
I'm looking forward to getting back home tonight. Jamaica is coming down with some sort of cold so I better be there to prepare the hot tea and fumble through my feeble attempts at sympathy. Yes, I need help.
I'll be back here in Orlando in April for the National New Church Conference. And I don't have to speak on a Sunday for that one!
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 17, 2007
Orlando, NRB/Reach
Filed under: Brad Works
I'm here in Orlando for the NRB/Reach conference, doing a workshop tomorrow afternoon. After being stranded in St. Louis last night from weather delays, the journey here took about as long as the time I'll be on the ground in Orlando.
Just returned from dinner at Maggiano's with Brad Hill and some of his team at SiteOrganic. Brad is helping with some of the workshops for NRB/Reach, and was the one who invited me here. Also at the dinner table was Jason Reynolds, web ministry coordinator at Stonebriar Community Church (Chuck Swindoll), as well as author and speaker Rex Miller. I really enjoyed the conversations with Rex and Jason--these guys know their stuff!
Prior to dinner I got to hang with Jay Kelly (Wired Parish) who has HDADD (high definition attention deficit disorder). Jay was so full of energy he made me feel like a sedated senior citizen in a coma. We really connected on a few ideas and, to use Jay's words, he's "all over it like a rat on a cheeto."
Also got to meet up this afternoon with Carolyn Haggard, the former media/pr powerhouse for New Life. She is one sharp woman, and has a huge future ahead of her. I really appreciate her heart for helping the church communicate better. Carolyn really gets it!
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 16, 2007
Real Reunion
Filed under: Brad Works
When I was 16 years old I started a magazine called Real. It lasted a few years before everything blew up. From a lack of funding and being sued for millions of dollars, the reasons were plentiful and painful, and the lessons were priceless.
One of the things that came out of those rough moments was a handful of relationships that I am still connected with today. Not only did I meet the woman who would end up being my wife, I was also privileged to meet some others who played significant roles in Real magazine.
Two of these people, Shawn Stewart and Kevin Hendricks, have been working with me for the last three years. Shawn designed some early issues of Real and he is now the creative director for Personality™. Kevin was Mr. Writer Extraordinaire helping with the print and web version of Real. He is now a freelance writer who has done tons of stuff for Personality™, Foursquare, and CFCC, including the launch of Church Marketing Sucks in 2004.
I am ecstatic about the most recent addition from my "friends made during the Real days" club. Marcia Bartenhagen is joining my communications team at Foursquare and will be our associate editor. Marcia has spent the last several years at Strang Communications in Florida. She will be joining the Foursquare team in March and I can't wait. Her role will be a far cry from her days writing the music/cutlure reviews in Real, but it will be a blast working in a more "grown up" context now.
We're all still kids figuring this thing out. But it sure is fun!
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 14, 2007
Sounds of Babel
Filed under: Stuff I Like
Jamaica and I went to see the movie Babel this past weekend. The movie was reminiscent of the the 2004 film Crash. What Crash is to the U.S. (Los Angeles), Babel is to the world (Africa, Japan, Mexico and the United States).
I was especially drawn to the soundtrack for the movie. So drawn that I bought the CD and received it today. The double disc set (36 tracks!) is marvelous and full of variety.
It's also interesting to think of Babel the movie in light of Babel the biblical story. The Genesis story is about people scattering as a result of unity. The story in the movie is about people coming together as a result of humanity's similarities.
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 13, 2007
Mind Your X's and Y's
Filed under: Reading Room
Last week I finished reading Mind Your X's and Y's by Lisa Johnson. I wrote a review over on Personality's site, as well as a follow-up post that made me giddy about how well Personality is positioned for the next generation.
The wisdom from this book will come in handy for so many things I am working on now, including the Foursquare NextGen Summit. If you're interested in how the next generation is going to interact with the world, this is a great look ahead.
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink
February 3, 2007
Growing to Outgrow
Filed under: Leadership
We said goodbye to a member of our Foursquare Communications team yesterday. Jo Ann Antoine was our art director and had a great five-year run. She was instrumental to so many big things, including the complete re-deign of our flagship publication, Advance magazine. Although Jo Ann will be missed, this is one of those moments I dread and look forward to at the same time.
As a leader, I think part of my job is to make sure the problems my team is solving are staying big and scary enough to have to work together on. This means I influence both the way we approach our problems and the way I create problems.
I also think that if I am not growing each person individually to outgrow their role, I'm being selfish.
Setting temporary sadness aside, seeing a good team member go is a thrill. It means they went as far as they could (at least on my team), and are prepared to tackle what may be next.
It also means the role is wide open for the next person to come along and take us places as a team that we've never been.
Know anybody looking for a job as an art director? Send them my way.
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink