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(The footage is not mine)

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The annual NRB convention is a unique experience.  In my seven years of attendance, I have shook hands with President George Bush; met numerous contemporary Christian heroes of the faith; sat in on valuable seminars about church media, video production, internet, and social media; connected with Christian media professionals who have encouraged and coached me; volunteered; served with two of our high school students; and annually discovered new cultural and technological shifts and how God is at work through it all.   NRB has been a catalyst for helping me to see the big picture.

I would like to share some of the insights from NRB 2011 that have been stirring within me.

1. Our country has made a significant cultural shift (in the last decade, but even more in the last couple of years).  Christianity is no longer the driving moral compass.  Tolerance, however, is.
2. Technology, specifically social media and new media, have made a much larger shift than we may realize.  Mass “broadcast” communication is out.  Community-based “conversational” communication is in.
>>2a. Rather than disregard social media (or complain about it), we need to recognize the incredible opportunity to leverage God’s redemption story and our story of God’s grace through social media channels.
>>2b. As technology continues to increase its dominance, people will crave face-to-face communication more than ever.  The Church, and the people of the church, have an incredible opportunity to use this desire for face-to-face relationships to really care for people.
3. Media is no longer about the communicator.  Its about them, not us.
4. The mobile device continues to increase in dominance of how people communicate, connect to the internet, and do business.
5. We value content-creators who freely “share” their content. (missional technology)
6. People want to enter into and interact with the story, not just consume it.  (Ex: 3D movies, mobile app games as advertising mediums, visual worship)
7. Prefer excellence over perfection.

At the Closing NRB Banquet Chuck Swindoll, a 77 year-old pastor/communicator/seminary president shared his personal insights from 50 years of ministry.   He was blunt, convicting, and passionate.   Here is a highlight of his insights:

1. Tell ppl how you feel about them now. Not later.
2. Things that you are not aware of are being remembered by others
3. Being real is a lot better than looking religious
4. When you fit, things flow; when they don’t it has to be forced
5. It doesn’t pay to talk anybody into or out of a big decision
6. Days of magnificense are far less than days of maintainance (most of ministry is just pain hard work)
7. Some people aren’t going to change no matter what
8. We seldom feel sorry for things we don’t say
9. Perception overshadows reality
10. Time spent with family is always worth it
11. Grace is worth the risk
12. Stop saying never and always
13. Some things are worth the sweat
14. Think theologically
15. You can’t beat having fun

SEMINAR NOTES

SOCIAL MEDIA SUPERSESSION
(mark ramsey)
.its not a website or brochure…its a platform
..needs to reflect your brand mantra
..its about them, not us
…purpose should be to solve problems for audience (ex confession app)
.it is not about audiences its about communities (churches understand communities)
…make their lives better
…not about services, about “betters”
.digital is about participation
..customers want to participate in building a brand
…”get satisfaction” application
.from differentiation to difference
..the heroes of the story should be the audience…be a sandbox where people can play in your presence

(Rey Mena)
.the way to reach the disconnected is through the faithful (members)
.make sure content is shareable
.keep the conversation going (online)

CHURCH MEDIA BOOTCAMP with Bobby Gruenwald (innovation pastor @ lifechurch.tv)
.open.lifechurch.tv
.missional technology:
..digerati teams: master of all things digital
..high availability of key content for free
..content plus community (church online)
“looking for naked ladies…try church online instead” advertising
.youversion…an idea that came from a local church!
…could have made lots of money from app..but knew it was about resourcing ppl

.web…design for mobile first
…emphasize facebook…since its where ppl are at now (church website is no longer for interacting)
.mtg agenda creating: intake concerns and allow it to become agenda
.quality versus effectiveness curve…
.need to predict that our future has an increase in capacity.  Push on your vendors/ppl to get the job done in the time it really should
.always start with audience first. Divide audience first for web
.don’t lower expectations on volunteers (it lowers their value)
.swerve.lifechurch.tv (blog from lifechurch digerati team)
.with so many ppl working together…must keep it simple
.project comm: basecamp app, staff portal
.try youversion live. Pastor can build out outline

VODDIE BAUCUM
“We’ve been desensitized, jammed, and converted” -on the homosexual agenda

“The homesexual agenda has co-opted us to believe that homesexual is a race issue.”  It is not!  (“Gay is not the new black”)

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
.the presenter created a seven figure income doing seo
.average search query is five to six words now
.google knocks you down for broken links
.make sure if you have multiple urls for same site that you redirect to one url
.instead of using “home” meta, use “church in bloomingdale”
.need to pay attention to title tags, cleaner shorter code
.Make meta tags dynamic per page
.yahoo tools…helps you understand your queries
.use analytics goals
.social graph….measurement of a sm presence
.get mentioned on other sites: blood drive in bdale
.page speed is now factored into google
.pay attention to google instant
.(what about “teen safe place”)
.seotoolset.com, opensiteexplorer.com, google.webmaster.tools, google trends, Spyfu, Chart@bruceclay.com

VISUAL CHURCH
.use visuals to create an environment/space for worship
.God was specific about the visuals he created for the tabernacle
.help ppl to enter into story through visual storytelling
.use of projectors is huge
.ppl need to see themselves in (the middle of the) story
.leave them wanting more
.start with story and end with excellence
.must be high points and low points in the visual experience (like in a song)
.lumens: find a projector that makes wall black
.2 sides: invert projection
.worshipvj.com
.curating visual worship (book)
.triple wide media.com; playback drive..pre stocked media; simplebacks.com; redferriswheel.com; resources.elevationchurch.org; creationswap.com (i can upload too)
.use thrift stores
…bought a red couch to do interviews on for whole year…then put couch all around church to remind ppl
.Keep your eyes open to learn new ideas from culture

STREAMING
.live streaming increased 600% last year
.growth on every age group
.pay attention to tvs being plugged into internet increase

.”Pluralize”…program to sync audio and video

VIDEO PRODUCTION
.directors job is always to be moving forward..not only paying attention to present…don’t worry about current shot
.place your cameras based on the story you are trying to tell
.context for viewer must make sense
.let the volunteers know you are grateful they do a thankless job
.prefer excellence over perfection
.training…have team watch youtube of director bantor

MOBILE APPLICATIONS
.apps are native to its own os (“snap to it” software bridges os)
.adobe cs can create apps
.advantages: visibility, experience, take advantage of device hardware, don’t have to be online
…check out dc metro,
.first review what has been produced
.sketch out app layout
.engage in developer forums
.most common development problem is startup and shutdown
mobile web: 6_8 items; simplify; use valid markup
.redirect mobile devices to dedicated version
.limited scrolling lengths
.put main content in middle
…footer is important
.appmaker.com (don’t submit)
.google make my app quickly

CHURCH MEDIA ROUND TABLE
.recording: tricaster system…3 camera system (new tek)
.streaming: sermon.net, 316networks
.spend a little money for fb advertising for an event (day camp?)
.look into robotic camera
.lighting…look into LED in the future
.lighting…back light and put light on walls.  Could use band from home depot. Add color.  All to give depth to speaker

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Below are the three videos I created for the application aspect of the message:

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WESLEY HILL (Washed and Waiting…book)
.the reality of victory is its side by side to struggle.  We need to be comfortable with waiting on not just jumping to victory
.were hoping, groaning, waiting for Gods redemption

JOHN SOWER www.thementoringproject.org
.we need to start by listening to what is happening
.our medica culture is filled with longing to belong (somewhere I belong, linkin park).  “they’re anthems if a generation ”
.Our understanding of God is shaped by our trusteeship with our father
.if we are called to be the father of the fatherless, how can we neglect it?
.engage the darkness, engage it honestly
.immanuel…I’m with you

PRINCESS ZULU
“God is always performing miracles, but He chooses, sometimes, to have those miracles depend on us”

SHAUNA NIEQUEST daughter of bill hybels
.the big story is being told through our little stories
.if you want ppl to vulnerably tel there stories, tell yours
.There are two myths we often believe about our stories: 1) That they are all about us. 2) Because of that, they are insignificant.

LEONARD SWEET futurist
.the storyteller remembers and ressurects the story for the community
.the language of culture is told in image  and story
.jesus…
Added sugar and salt to his stories
Used the right utensils (carve story out rather than cut them up)
Add pepper

.how to tell stories: you become the story
.what story do you love to tell?
.stories need to be able to be sung
.there is a cry for hope.
.jesus is the kingdom. That’s the flag to raise

DAN ALLENDER
.our question is…is God good?
.how do I live out Gods story in daily life?
.do I see my daily life experiences as a story I am living?

.we cannot accommodate to the stories of this world
.we need to draw people into the stories they are not willing to tell….death, hurt…and then give them Goods hope story…invite them to death
.we live as if our story is in chronological order
.we must take in account that stories that shape us and how they are marred by death
.have you blessed the death that is your own?

.gen 16…there is violence in every story
.for stories to persist there needs tip be some form of conflict, tragedy, death
.First recorded moment of God showing himself to a woman after the fall is hagar…an egyptian woman

.your stories are a gift to name God
.what is the name you bring to God through your daily story?

CHARLIE TODD
.improve everywhere.com
.goal of improve is to make someone elses day better
.say yes to ideas…. Be prolific

RICHARD WALTER: screenwriter
Essentials of Screenwriting

.narrative is transformative
.narrative is healing
.out of feeling comes faith
“you don’t have to make an audience to feel good, you just have to make them feel”

JASON FRIED ceo…37 signals.com
.base camp: project management system
.when you communicate with a team located in different places you need to communicate together in the same way
.meetings are a huge waste of time: not worth the time,  impossible to get everyone together
…rather mt in small spurts allday long

.planning is guessing. Prefer spontaneity

.small teams change things

.focus on the basics and do them very well
.copying to learn is ok.copy to execute is no good
.share everything you can
.set aside time week you are available to ‘ take calls’
.asap, easy, want, can’t…bad words

.good ideas are the one you can sleep on and forget and it keeps coming mack
.you need to build things that are useful

ANDREW CLAVAM mystery writer
Sometimes you just have to play through the pain.

GARY DORSEY designer
Pixel peach studio
.the most powerful part of art is unseen.
.’ Strangely beautiful’
.its ok to do strange art
.don’t be afraid to be honest with your art

DAVID MCFADZEAN creator of home improvement
.storytelling has power
.hollywood has been telling our story…but they don’t know our story

.mystery is knowing answers are out there but having the patience to live with the questions
.art doesn’t work for us but on us
.separation of theologian and artist is deadly
.the stories of the gospel are locked on redemptive stories.  Tell them.

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I had the opportunity to speak at our weekend worship services on July 17 + 18, 2010. I wanted to present the theme, COLLIDE, in a different medium: video storytelling.

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