Did You Know 4.0 - Shift Happens

Watch out world...the convergence of design and content is nearly complete. The convergence of social and media is coming....what's next?

Here's what already IS. Could you have imagined five years ago that companies like Dell could make millions of dollars from TWITTER? Heck, five years ago, could you imagine TWITTER? I couldn't...I was still learning to use Google properly, and taking classes on how to find content I could trust on the internet.

The future's looking wild.

Post-event wrap up

I've spent all week trying to figure out what are the top 3? top 5? top 7? things that I should have learned from our focus groups.

1. You like us! You really like us! (<--our people trust us and in general think we do a pretty ok job)

2. You're looking to us for technology leadership

3. You want us to create somewhere for the conversation to continue

4. You need us to stay relevant, and help YOU stay relevant

5. We need to relinquish some control and stop 'preaching at you'

Those can be some pretty tough things to swallow, and some pretty big changes. However, we're up to the task! While it may seem like nothing is happening today. Tomorrow. Next week. Next month.....we're thinking. And plotting. And planning. And using a lot of periods. (??)

What's next? Book of Discipline on Kindle (duh) better be up soon...and more freebies.

Stay tuned! It's gonna be a wild ride.

Vision of the Future

This is great - Microsoft's vision of the future is amazing, but this Sarcastic Gamer special is even better.

I love the newspaper that you can just 'flick' away one story and bring on the next. Don't we already do that with iPhones?

And if I could 'flick' a story out of the way, why on earth would I want something that LOOKS just like a newspaper looks now? Why save that tired old layout? Instead, I'd want a HUD display that would come out of the side of my head or be projected from my watch, or my cell.

Projection is the future, forget all this paper mess. We're building larger and larger screens for our iPhones/iPods/Kindles so we have enough room to read a book comfortably. It's still not going to work as well as a book. Plastic Logic ain't gonna cut it either.

I think we're all stuck in a box. The true 'Kindle Killer' will be a product that looks nothing like a book, acts nothing like a book, yet fulfills all the functions and experience of reading.

My $0.02.

Focus Groups This week!!!

I'm getting ready for our clergy, Christian educators, and bloggers - all of whom will descend this week.

It's sad to say that I'm almost giddy with excitement, but I am. That we're able to bring people in and take the time to listen to them is such a wonderful opportunity. So many people here are wandering by my office wondering what cool things I'm stuffing into our great Camp Edge VBS coolers (which is what you'll get if you come this week!). What's inside is a secret--but I will tell you that each one is full of something great!

Will we find out that we're irrelevant? That churches can and will create their own curriculum? That pastors no longer look to us for leadership? Or to provide resources on their daily journey?

I doubt it.

We're all struggling with some of the same ideas--how to become *and then stay!* relevant in this fast-changing world. I'd like to incorporate some of their ideas, and maybe they'll see something worth looking at in the process, too.

My goal for the week: to truly understand what we can do that will add the most benefit for the people we serve.

Socialnomics 09

An update to the uber-cool video I previously posted. The statistics of social media continue to stagger me. It is truly beyond comprehension the impact that new ways of communicating have on our lives. Our business. Our world.

How Many Christians Does it Take to Change a Light Bulb?

Charismatic : Only 1
Hands are already in the air.

Pentecostal : 10
One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness.

Presbyterians : None
Lights will go on and off at predestined times.

Roman Catholic : None
Candles only.

Baptists : At least 15.
One to change the light bulb, and three committees to approve the change and decide who brings the potato salad and fried chicken

Episcopalians: 3
One to call the electrician, one to mix the drinks and one to talk about how much better the old one was.

Mormons : 5
One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it.

There's more at Conservative Friends.

NOTE: Full attribution to Zeray Gazette from this 2005 post (yup - oldies but goodies)

Fearless Marketing

Why is there such a buzz around the new title Fearless by Max Lucado? Two reasons:

1. It's Max Lucado (duh!)
2. Because Michael Hyatt said so

How do you create a Michael Hyatt-esque persona in your building? Publishing is tough - saying things that the real 'buying public' is interested in isn't easy--just try talking about what kind of Wheaties you had for breakfast and see how many people follow YOU around!

How do you put yourself out there in front of the competition, your friends, your neighbors, your peers, (and let's face it--your BOSS!) every day and not be scared?

Be Fearless in marketing your product. Forget all those people who tell you it's impossible, improbable, unlikely.

What do they know anyway?