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
December 2007 Archives
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December 31, 2007
Weekend With Brennan Manning
Filed under: God, Faith & Spirituality
A month ago, Jamaica and I got to head up to Lake Arrowhead with a few hundred young adults from our church, Christian Assembly. This was the second time we took part in this annual pilgrimage.
My main reason for going was to hear Brennan Manning speak. He lead four different sessions and this was the first time I had heard him live. I've read several of his books--he's got quite the story!
All of his talks from the weekend can be downloaded online. Enjoy!
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December 28, 2007
Live From the Foursquare NextGen Summit
Filed under: Brad Works
Jamaica and I finished up Christmastime with her family yesterday afternoon, and then made our way to Anaheim and checked in at the Hilton last night. We're here through January 1 for the Foursquare NextGen Summit. My role at Foursquare made way for me to be a part of the core planning team over the past 18 months. My Communication's team played a key role in all of the marketing and promotions leading up to the event. What a ride! Denominational marketing is a different animal, and they don't follow the typical rules, especially for events. Maybe I should write a book on this some day.
Aside from the fact that attendance is below what we were aiming for by about half (we're 10% away from break-even), everything else is coming together quite nicely. Seeing the dreams and ideas become reality for this has been a real treat. There are a handful of people that deserve a standing ovation: James Craft, Angela Ventura, Mitchie Sarmiento, Steve Cauble, Dave Hanley, Jena Iwata, and the dozens of people who worked so hard to make this event happen. Well done friends!
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Grandparent Pinches
Filed under: Abare News
I received a recycled (already used) birthday card with a one dollar bill a couple weeks ago--well ahead of my birthday today. It was from Jamaica's grandparents and it reads:
Dear Brad,
May God give you a joyful heart.
Happy Birthday.
Love,
Grandma and Grandpa
May you enjoy this card--we did and we share the savings.
It's nice to have "green" grandparents.
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December 24, 2007
Our Third Christmas Letter
Filed under: Abare News
Dear Family, Dear Friends
And To Those Who Care Not The Difference…
“With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” – Matthew 5:3b
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.” –Matthew 5:5
The journey for us really began in August of 2006 when we moved from “suburban” Arcadia, 22 miles southwest to downtown Los Angeles. It was one part convenience—Brad’s office is now three miles from home; one part investment—downtown LA is ten years away from becoming something; and one part missional—our hearts continue to turn toward the least, the lost and the left. Now, over one year later, our lives have been marked most by less.
Less Home
Not since our first three months of marriage have we lived in a space so small. Our new loft in downtown Los Angeles is small in dimension and in proximity. And it’s this proximity that has been the backdrop for our life of less. Our gated community with garage door seclusion has been replaced with outdoor pedestrians and shared elevator rides with neighborly strangers and strange neighbors. Our former neighborhood of social similarities has been replaced with businessmen, beggars and Hollywood hustlers. When we downsized our living space from 2,300 square feet to a one-room loft without walls, little did we know how much more we would experience because of how much less we have.
Continue reading "Our Third Christmas Letter"
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December 21, 2007
Jack Black
Filed under: Brad Works
Earlier this week in a Foursquare exec team meeting, we got to catch a rare moment with Jack Hayford and his new BlackBerry. He tried one out years ago but it never caught on. This time he was really excited about it. When he held it up for everybody to see, I took out my iPhone and said we should get a picture of it. He suggested that he strike a pose so he held the BlackBerry at arm's length and appeared to type with his right hand. When someone else in the room implied he was a novice because real users type with two thumbs, Jack shot back quickly, "I was using it as a phone." Ha!
We'll see if this newer, smaller, more robust BlackBerry fits Jack this time.
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December 17, 2007
Personality Christmas 2007
Filed under: Brad Works
Last night was the annual Personality Christmas party. We started the evening with dinner at the swanky Nick & Stef's steakhouse and then walked three blocks to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for the Handel's Messiah Sing-Along. I've got to say that last night's concert was much more appreciated than the Organ Spectacular I attended a few days prior. Handel's Messiah is amazing. Two thoughts kept occuring to me throughout the evening: 1) Does this audience of 2,000+ really understand what they're singing? And 2) I wonder why Handel's Messiah isn't experienced more during Easter?
The evening with the Personality team was grand. I really like working with these guys!
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December 14, 2007
Comm Christmas 2007
Filed under: Brad Works
Jamaica and I had a great time this past Wednesday night with my Foursquare Communications team. Spouses and significant others joined up with us at the end of the work day and we made our way over to Roy's in downtown LA for dinner. We finished the night nine blocks away at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for a "holiday organ spectacular." It was my first time to the Disney hall--loved it!
One of the reocccuring themes this past year for me personally and for my Comm team has been the concept of inviting and pursuing others into our own life journey. So with each Christmas card I gave to my staff, I included a little poem I wrote that I think captures this concept. It was bundled with a Starbucks gift card.
Wise men followed
a starry sky,
Today some dream
of their Best Buy.What once,
was all about Thee,
Has now become
just another Wii.Gifts wrapped with love,
Given in the name of above.
Our presents have smothered
the presence of another.Enclosed is a simple
piece of plastic,
Pre-loaded with
a little fantastic.To be used–
not in isolation–
but with at least one other,
causing elation.So find a soul you know not,
perhaps know little,
Invite them to participate
in some intelligent drivel.Encourage,
Go on and inspire.
Laugh, smile,
Continue the choir.
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December 13, 2007
August Rush
Filed under: Media
This past weekend Jamaica and I saw the movie August Rush. What a delightful find! I had no idea what it was about when I sat down to watch it--we were going based on the strong recommendation of Jamaica's sister--so what a pleasant surprise it was. The soundtrack was so good I bought it and have been listening to it the last couple days.
This is one of those movies where the music is just as much a part of the movie as the story itself. In the case of August Rush, the music is actually the story as a boy attempts to bring his parents--whom he has never met--together.
The only problem I have with this movie is that it is once again a slap in the face to my lack of any real talent. Child prodigy stories always bug me because I can't relate and I want to so bad. Perhaps that's why I should begin counseling next week for my pride, selfishness, jealousy and arrogance.
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December 11, 2007
God Is Fed Up
Filed under: God, Faith & Spirituality
I was reading in Amos today and bumped into this passage again about how God is fed up.
"I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? Do you know what I want? I want justice--oceans of it. I want fairness--rivers of it. That's what I want. That's all I want."
Go God.
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