My Church Communication Model: Spiral Frog

Because I'm always on the lookout for new music and new ways to get new music AND because I'm as cheap as the day is long, I checked out Spiral Frog after a friend turned me on to it. I haven't downloaded any music or even registered yet, and I love it. Why? Because the website treats me the way I want to be treated!

This website is unabashedly open about the process. Advertisers pay them to get people to the site. They use the advertisers money to pay the content creators. You get to access music for free simply by registering and having to look at their website. The ads aren't even obnoxious!!

Why do I care? I don't. But as I looked through the FAQ's to determine if this was actually on the up-and-up, I found that the site's creators were talking to me the way I want to be talked to. They're not withholding info that makes me wonder what they're really up to. They're not talking to me as if I don't have a clue. They don't assume that I'm a technophile. They are just very open and authentic and THAT RESONATES WITH ME!

I get so tired of feeling like I have to be cynical to avoid being taken for a ride. A company (not one that will add much value to my life, btw) comes along and spells it all out and I find myself a fan even before I've really sampled the product.

I've heard that...

• download times are a bit slow
• that the selection is not huge (only 800k songs so far)
• that only one song can be downloaded at a time (so you spend more ad time checking out the site--they admit this!)
• that I have to register and re-register every 30 days.

If I were looking at a product based on these measurable stats, it wouldn't have a prayer, but I already LIKE THE COMPANY! They've got an "in" with me that will carry me beyond their product shortfalls.

How does this apply to what we do for God? How have we alienated people by withholding what "they didn't need to know" or by talking down to them?

New Feature: Hump day Humor

In case the week has begun to drag and you need a little push to get to the weekend, here's the first of what I hope to be many hump day (that means wednesday, don't be vulgar) humor pieces.

R.I.P. Robert Jordan

A great man died yesterday. I did not know him at all, yet I can't even begin to describe my sorrow. James Oliver Rigney, Jr was commonly known by his pen name, Robert Jordan, under which he wrote the Wheel of Time series of books. There are eleven (incredibly thick) books currently with the final book still in the works at the time of his death.

I'd been reading these books with some degree of consistency since 1991, when I was a sophomore in college, so I can only assume that's why I feel so sorrowful...his books had been a part of my entire adult life. Also, I'd begun following his blog (mostly inconsistently) on which he interacted with the thousands of fans of WoT, as well as giving an on-going update on his health status. He'd been battling a rather rare disease, but right up until the end, he seemed so hopeful and confident that he'd beat it...or at least greatly delay it getting him.

Rigney was a professed Christian...high church as he described himself. His faith was strong in his eternal destination, but instead of rejoicing because a brother has gone to be with his Savior, I'm sad, because it seems so wrong. He wasn't done...his contribution was not finished. A month short of his 59th birthday, he had much more writing and living to do.

I miss him.

Just do it!!

Why don't people serve?

I think it has a lot to do with their priorities...that is, what makes it to the top of the list. Probably many people have very good intentions, but their attention stays focused on the top of their list. Their jobs...getting kids to soccer practice, dance, cheerleading, etc...trying to stay caught up (more often get caught up) on stuff around the house...family obligations (weddings, b-day parties, Aunt Sue wants everyone to come over)... it's easy to get overloaded.

Notice that I didn't even include anything that people just might want to do. What's wrong with getting away for a weekend or hunkering down on Saturday to watch college football? Nothing! So it's easy for me to see how serving gets pushed so far down on the list.

Most people wither never knew or have forgotten that serving one of the reasons we're here. Gal 5:13, Eph 4:11-12, Eph 6:7, 1 Tim 6:18 and Hebrews 10:24 are just a few of the many verses in the N.T. that talk about the importance of what we do, and how we do what we do.

I think a lot of people have missed out on the incredible joy it puts in your life when you unselfishly serve someone else...unselfishly means serving someone when there is no benefit to you (except for the joy). There's the old volleyball/church cliche that if you're not serving, you don't get the point (except for rally scoring which is now the norm). If more people served and realized what a wonderful thing it is for them and for their family, maybe service might begin crawling its way up a few people's priority list.

I wonder how much we church leaders have robbed people of this joy and opportunity.

• We've painted service as an "ought to" instead of a "get to."
  
• We apologetically beg people to help us out, when we should be teaching what God says about serving and then help people find a way to jump in.
  
• People indicate that they may be interested in something and we drop the ball and never call them back. (You don't often get a second chance)

I could think of more, but I don't want to be all negative.

Serve! That's the bottom line. Jump in and do something!

I recently had a friend tell me that they were going to drop out of serving so that they could "be a student for a while." Their concern was that they were leading ministries but didn't think they were qualified b/c of a lack of Bible knowledge and experience. I'm definitely not picking on my friend, but if you don't think your qualified to teach then set up chairs... work in the nursery... run the lights or sound... Do something! As far as I can read in Scripture, there's never an escape clause. There's no "Serve unless..." passage.

We were created to do good works. Followers of Christ produce fruit. Let the pagans see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Serve!!

Philips Bodygroomer

So its been a while since I've blogged. I'm not apologizing. I think I've been in a serious "take-in" mode. I haven't really felt like contributing to the blogospherical conversation.

I get to work this morning feeling rather blah. I needed a shove. I got one. A good one. A funny one...okay, a hilarious one.

Worthy of breaking my long blog silence, I give you the Bodygroomer, as shared by Scott Hodge.

Some of my faithful readers may be interested in this product. Hopefully the rest of you will enjoy this ad as much as I did. Maybe this can be a bit of a jump start for the rest of your day.

By the way, I'm back!!!