CreativePastors Blog & Podcast

FC Kids Media Case Study

From video games with screamin’ 3D graphics to animated movies with multi-million dollar budgets, the entertainment industry pursues young consumers with serious funds and sophisticated marketing. So how, exactly, do we minister to children who consume a steady diet of high-tech amusement? At Fellowship Church, we create a relevant environment for kids by incorporating visually rich surroundings, age-appropriate teaching, super-friendly staff and volunteers, and engaging audio and video elements into our FC Kids weekend services. We speak to them in their language – fun!

But as our FC Kids services became more complex, the prep time for staff grew longer and the learning curve for volunteers grew steeper. And the launch of our three satellite campuses only magnified the problem. To remedy the situation, we started using MediaShout to streamline the audio and video in our children’s services. It handles everything we do - logos, graphics, flash animation, videos, sound effects and background music. We’re now able to build one MediaShout file for all four campuses which contains a play list and outline so the volunteers can easily navigate through the service, even when changes occur.

Switching to MediaShout has also allowed us to get more mileage out of our technology and volunteer resources. Instead of needing three computers with two operators for a weekend service, now we’re able to use one computer with one operator. And when we’re getting new volunteers plugged in, they can get most of their technical training from the 10-15 minute MediaShout tutorial.

MediaShout has made it easier for us to be creative and flexible, while maintaining high levels of excellence throughout each of our campuses. When we find great tools, we want to share them with you! Click here to find out how you can win a free copy of MediaShout 3.0!

A Suite Deal

We are on Day 22 of July and that means only one week to go until our Sweet Media Suite drawing! We will be giving away two copies of the newest Media Shout, version 3.0, as well as a set of our favorite media kits:

Who’s Kidding Who? Media Kit
Countdown Clock
Just Lust Media Kit
Apostle’s Creed Video
The Table Media Kit
Ignite Media Kit

For each purchase you make in the month of July you will automatically be entered to win. As always we will post the results right here on the CreativePastors blog. Don't miss out on this very suite deal! 

Details about You! Discounts

We're rolling out our group discount offer for Ed's latest release, You! The Journey to the Center of Your Worth. With fall approaching, it's the perfect time to plan a small group study, and this book makes it easy with a dynamic 8-session study guide which reinforces key concepts from each chapter.

Here's how the bulk rate works—buy 10 or more books and the price drops to $9.95 per book (retail price: $14.99, 160-page hardcover). Just enter the promotion code: youbook during checkout!

How do I use CP content in my messages?

We had such a great question in the comments on a recent post that we wanted to pull it out and get your response. The question, from James Gleason, at isonrise.com is this:

I'm new to CP since C3 in January and wonder how to use Ed's (and his team's) ideas in my sermons. What do you guys/gals usually do when you use a sermon point, an outline, or even download a transcript? Do you give Ed credit? How much of it becomes "yours" as you modify it and present it to your church setting?

We'd love to have you church leaders chime in on that one, but in the meantime we'll share our thoughts. Ed always says that if you are going to use someone else's idea, make sure you take it to the next level. In other words, improve upon it! Some of the best examples we've heard of lately have been coming from pastors using our In the Zone series at their churches. Check out what Brian Moon from Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Tarpon Springs, Fla. did:

I am a student pastor / church starter in the Tampa area and I recently spoke for both our Sunday morning services. I picked up the "In the Zone (Skittles)" talk and called it "The Sweet Spot" and tied it into the sweet spot on a golf club. I changed the skittles to M & M's (Money & Material Possesions). The response from the service was outstanding and the following week I came into my office on Monday and found a bank envelope that said, "For student ministry use." Inside was $1,000 cash!!! A real "Yeah God" moment followed!!

As Brian shows us in this example, the key is to make it your own. Ed uses many personal illustrations, which not only help our church members get to know him, but also show that he is a fellow struggler, just like us. Where Ed tells a story from his life, it's the perfect opportunity to add your own twist. What experience do you have with the situation? Is there a particular aspect of the subject that your membership needs to hear about? That's what will make your message truly authentic and effective for your church.

Our messages can also be used as idea generators. Many times pastors will use our media or transcripts as catalysts for brainstorming. The ideas start flowing and next thing you know you end up with a message that is completely different—and even better!

That's what were talking about!

Creativity is boundless. We see it time and time again in all the cool things you are doing at your churches. Bernie Federmann at Lompoc Foursquare Church in Lompoc, Calif. was kind enough to share how his church used the Who's Kidding Who? series. Check out what he had to say:

We normally don't have a Sunday Night service, but instead we use this night for special teachings, leadership meetings, water baptisms etc. Recently we showed the Who's Kidding Who? series, one per night for five weeks. We provided children's crafts and programming and when people arrived we had popcorn, candy, and giveaways including Kid CEO books and even a Mate Date Package. We used the clips from the videos as a part of our morning service announcements to hook people and to introduce them to Ed Young. We provided notes and some outlines to fill in and wrote our own questionnaire based on the first video. I also followed up the night with by asking people what their take-away was. We spent no more than about 15 minutes on discussions - including our giveaways - so most nights were approximately one hour. I thought it was great and easy to use this way, or in a small group discussion setting.

Thank you Bernie for sharing. We are always energized by the ingenious ideas of our CP users.  Now it's time to share your story. Send us an email and show us your stuff!

Make it memorable. Make it yours.

People who listen to a speaker normally retain 10% of what is discussed. But when you add visuals, that number goes up to 50% (a whopping 400% increase in effectiveness). These stats, revealed in a study by the Wharton Research Center, offer compelling reasons to use media in your church—not just because it's cool, but because it works.

CreativePastors is where you can come for memorable media. Grab a countdown clock, add an opener, and throw in an illustration video—where you want them, when you want them. Programs like Media Shout give you the flexibility to pull your service together easily and make changes on the fly (because sometimes the greatest ideas come at the last minute).

This month, we're going to give you a crack at a Sweet Media Suite when we give away 2 copies of MediaShout 3.0 along with accompanying libraries of our most popular CreativePastors Media. With each purchase you make during July, you'll automatically be entered into our drawing. (View the site for complete details.) Here's what you'll find in the libraries—and also on sale this month. Enjoy a 15% discount on the following favorites (or be a winner and pay zip!):

• Who's Kidding Who? Media Kit
• Countdown Clock
• Just Lust Media Kit
• Apostle's Creed Video
• The Table Media Kit
• Ignite Media Kit

To get a taste of CreativePastors media, click here. And to try MediaShout, take a test drive here for free. Stop by the site and get rolling with some killer media for your next service!

About You

I've just dived into Ed's latest book, and it's looking like a great read! You, the Journey to the Center of Your Worth, is a fresh look at self-esteem. When it comes to self-image, our culture has a messed up view. Instead of seeking value from status and stuff, we need to shift our focus to God's perspective. That's the true definition of self-esteem—looking at ourselves through God's eyes.

This book should be a quick read and would be the perfect choice for a small group study since there's a discussion guide in the back with questions for each chapter. Stay tuned for details about a bulk discount for orders of 10 books or more. Learn more about the book here.

Drawing Day!

We enjoyed a little Christmas in July this morning when we held our Getaway Giveaway drawing for the two iPod minis with accompanying MP3 libraries. Almost 700 names were in the jar and we couldn't wait to find out who would win. We all gathered around as Cheryl and I each pulled out an entry. Here they are - the winners!

Charlie Salmon, Sr. Pastor of Church on the Ridge in Snoqualmie, WA.
www.churchontheridge.org

Greg Helman, Sr. Pastor of South Mountain Church in Dillsburg, PA.
www.undergroundskatepark.org

We are still trying to reach Greg, but we did get a hold of Charlie, who was quite excited about his prize. I chatted with him for a while and he said he started his church just a little over a year ago with only 30 people and today they have more than 600 in attendance. He said it's been amazing to see how God has made this happen and he mentioned that the series he's purchased from CreativePastors really gave them a boost. So far, Who's Kidding Who and In The Zone have had the most impact for them.

Congratulations, Charlie! We are thrilled to be sending you this bright green iPod and loading up your downloads with MP3s. Greg, we look forward to talking with you soon!

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UPDATE: We did get in touch with our other winner, Greg Helman. His church is just over a year old, with an attendance of 70-75 people. Famous for their underground skate park, their passion is reaching at risk kids with extreme sports.  They were recently interviewed by a local TV station for their contributions to the area youth. Congratulations, Greg—enjoy!