no coffee maker
no fridge
average rooms

I’d expect 3, maybe 3.5 stars.

But then there are the ducks.

Every day, twice a day there is the “marching of the ducks”. The ducks march in on the red carpet, take a dip in the fountain and then it’s off the elevator for their exit.

And that’s where the 5 stars are born, but it doesn’t stop there..everything in the hotel tells that story and carries the brand. They know what makes them, them. It’s in everything:

The Bathmat

The Employee’s Tie

Everything

So the next time you wonder if your brand is worth the effort…remember the ducks.

Now free is nice, but what is cool to me is that NAB sent this email to me. No, not because I’m a rockstar like Los or as hip as Promise (though I try), but because they’re recognizing the church market.

Now sure, they are really trying to tap into the church budgets but that means that these budgets are starting to exist. Not so long ago the church would just scratch their head at a show like NAB. We’re changing, growing and embracing technology to assist us in worship and communicating the gospel.

Yep, I linked to the wiki entry for “assist”. It is important for us to begin to bring technology and creativity into the way we do church, but even more important to keep it in it’s place. It’s an assist, a platform, that extra little push…it’s not the main attraction.

The above images are two recent projects he helped me with. In fact, I was stuck on the info graphic. It needed something more and I was at a wall. So, knowing that he wanted to learn I had him come into the office and we started working with it…and he brought that something more.

As we were talking about design and how he could learn, I had the idea to help him and a church at the same time. So here’s where you come in. I often have churches that call and want a logo, but simply don’t have the budget for us to do it. Now, if you’ve worked with us you know it is important that we stay flexible, but we do have some parameters we need to stay within. So sadly, I have to say no sometimes. But here’s an opportunity for me to say yes to both my son and to you.

I am offering a full logo development for $250 (the entire amount goes to Ty and his education) to one church that is willing to go through the process with my son as the designer. I will still work as Creative Director and work closely with him through the whole process, but he will take the lead in pulling the information together, doing the research, producing sketches and of course producing final concepts.

Who knows, if this works out well it may be an ongoing program for those churches and ministries that simply and truly don’t have the budget for great design yet really desire to communicate the best they can.

You can post here or contact me with the following:

I’ll look through the submissions with Ty and contact the one that feels like the best fit. My goal is to breath creativity into my son and your ministry as you both prepare for ministry.

Take the newest entrant into the realm of hot cool must haves: iphone apps.

The first I saw was out of Mars Hill and now there are quick and cheap solutions that allow every church to create it’s very own iphone app. Awesome! Get out your credit cards. Right?

I don’t know.
Sure people will download it, maybe even check it out, but then what? Will they really use it? Are you filling a need or just trying to get on the bandwagon (without knowing where it’s really headed)? Now if it’s a free service, hey, knock yourself out at the most you’re just out your time. But even then, don’t skip strategy.

It’s not just iphone apps it’s also church online, your website and even Sunday morning. Getting people to download, show up, etc. can’t be the primary measure of success. Sure you’ll measure that, but the real indicator of a successful ministry effort is if people are using it and are changed because of it. If no one is using it, it’s not going to change lives. At best it gives you bragging rights. You hit 1000 people showing up to church. Good start, but that’s not a success beyond a bit of exposure unless those people do something with it.

Instead of jumping on board at the first sign of a new ______, ask yourself how you are going to use it. Ask yourself the question I asked earlier, “are you filling a need?” Only when you you focus on the need can you create the right solution. Otherwise you’re just throwing things at the wall hoping they will stick.

If you’re going to build an app, don’t just repackage everything that’s already out there (unless everything is everywhere and you create a central point of communication), give them something they can use, want to use and will use. LifeChurch gives a great example of this with YouVersion, they didn’t just give you the bible on your iPhone though that alone would have been nice, they’ve built layers of tools that people can use to connect with each other and scripture.

Same goes for online. Why stop at offering audio online? What if you also make available the overheads and notes to follow along with. Or create a discussion area for Sunday’s sermon. I’ll leave online church for another day.

On Sunday morning look beyond raised hands and an altar call and ask, “how will this translate into daily living. Did I give them something they can grab hold of and live out during the week?”

So yes, build the apps, have Sunday morning services but don’t stop there. Once you get them through the door you have an obligation to make it stick because it’s not about you, it’s about them connecting with their Creator.

Last month as the earthquake shook Haiti, like many of you I had to do something, I had to play a part in the people’s lives. My son’s mom was in the midst of an adoption of two children from Haiti, so I setup a page to help them wrap up the final finances and take advantage of the window that opened for them to bring the children home.

That was incredible to watch unfold, I’m thankful for all of you who stepped up and helped make that happen…but that’s not what I want to talk about today. I want to talk about one line that I was really shocked to receive so many comments and emails about:

My son’s mom (yes, also my ex-wife but she’s so much more my son’s mom than she is my ex-wife that I hate calling her that) has spent…

Many of you thanked me, applauded, etc. that outlook. That really made something click that I’d like to share with you so that you, if you’re divorced, can internalize it or pass it on to someone who is.

I was divorced about 14 years ago. That year after our divorce was a very dark and angry year, she hated me, I hated her…all the ugliness of divorce. But there was a boy involved, we may have had a terrible marriage, I may have been a terrible husband…but we had an incredible son together.

A bit of a wrench. I could be angry at my ex-wife, but how could I be hate my son’s mom?

That was the turn in our relationship. I look back now and realize that I stopped seeing her as my ex-wife and started appreciating her as my son’s mom. Now before you try to tell the rest of the story, no, this is not the story of a marriage rebuilt, etc. We remain divorced, she was remarried 10 years ago, I was remarried 5 years ago.

This is a story of new wineskins and of the new song God gave to us.

Phone calls that would always end in yelling and hateful words, now end with “talk to ya later.”

Holidays that once held nothing but contention, now are peaceful celebrations.

Parenting that once had to be done on two different fronts is now unified and together.

Let me pause, and recognize that my son probably doesn’t appreciate this today. He can’t pit us against each other, can’t go to one when the other doesn’t give him his way, and then there are the family meetings.

I am blessed to have an absolutely incredible son. He has a big call on his life, and he lives within that calling, it shows….but sometimes he’s still a teenager and makes missteps. Usually those are handled with his mom and I have a phone call, putting together a game plan and consistently parenting. But sometimes I call a family meeting.

A family meeting consists of me, my wife, his mom, and her husband…and our son. We dig in, deal with the situation and show a unified front. And it works. Like I said, he probably doesn’t appreciate it today, but he will.

Some hear our story, how we do things, how we will all at times go out to dinner, and how my wife and my ex-wife will go to a woman’s conference together and say “that’s weird.”

It is weird, or better described as “unusual”. It is also unusual for divorced families to have peace and harmony. It’s also unusual for an ex-husband celebrating his ex-wifes accomplishments. It’s also unusual to feel appreciation as a parent.

If you’re divorced, I urge you, beg you…go for unusual. Stop looking at your ex as your ex, stop looking at who she (or he) was and who she is now – your child’s mom. It’s not easy, it takes time, but it is so worth it.

But as I reflect, I have a resolution to you. Starting now I am going to take Phil Cooke’s advice and be more transparent. It’s not going to be easy. I’m really good at putting on a face that looks like I have it all together, that I’ve figured it all out.

It’s a strange juxtaposition. I am a pretty confident guy, God’s given me knowledge and yet I’m actually a pretty insecure pup. I just typed that and now the publish button is staring at me. “You really gonna tell people that? You’re supposed to be the creative expert. How can an expert not have all the answers?” See, I’d probably pretend like your opinion of me doesn’t matter, but it does. And so I’ve considered not clicking -publish-

But you know what, I’m gonna push that button. I’m going to try to be more transparent with you and it starts here. I’ve helped a lot of ministries, I think God has given me the ability to be really good at what I do…but I don’t have it all together. I’m learning just like everyone else is. I make mistakes and I don’t have all the answers. I’m often afraid, anxious and constantly reminded at the depths in which I need God.

This won’t come naturally or quickly so be patient with me and hopefully understanding as I open myself up more to you. I hope that it brings us closer.

One of these days I’m going to have to do an ode to Papyrus.

It’s a part of the MidMichigan Innovation Center, an incubator that looks for companies that are pushing the limits and doing a new thing. This gives me not just an office but access to conference rooms, administrative staff, the whole works.

I am truly grateful and in awe as I see the favor of God. Scripture says that when we do the work He finishes the task. I never ever ever could do this without God’s provision. I am amazed and blessed that he’s given me the opportunity to equip ministries to tell His story and breath new creativity into the church.

Here is a glimpse of the new digs, including a picture from our first employee* meeting.

Our move in is Friday the 13th (hmmm) and our new address is 4520 E. Ashman Rd., Midland, MI 48642

*aka my wife, Carrie.

@daniellsuzanne: u should turn the back of ur business card into an iPhone wallpaper – i’d use it!

Made my day. How could I resist a request like that? So here they are for you to enjoy.

Feel free to spread the word, but will you please link to here so that I can see how many of you are downloading the wallpaper and see if I should make some more down the road?

“we’re putting your logo in lights”

As Dawn Nicole put it, “it was like watching my kids faces on Christmas.” I was thrilled and excited to see that come together. I was even more excited that my creativity led to someone else pouring out their creativity.

And it didn’t stop there…it was also drawn out in chalk in the cafe, and even given it’s own drink!

That’s how creativity works. It awakes areas of our brain as if to give it permission to explore and venture out. It opens up doors we never saw before. I see it all the time when a pastor allows us to speak creativity into a message; it’s not just about what we do creatively but it sparks new ideas for the pastor as well. I love the look on a pastor’s face as it hits them. They too have that Christmas morning look, ready to run and explore creative ways to bring the gospel.

It’s also a great example of how creativity builds momentum. It started when I poured out my creativity into the logo and continued as others poured out their creativity into bringing it to life in various forms.

And it comes in all shapes in sizes…it even finds its place in the men’s room.

What’s your story of creativity breeding creativity?