The results are in for our second annual Show Us What You're Made Of! Contest. You continue to blow us away with your creativity! After reviewing the many entries we received, we have narrowed it down to a winner.
Congratulations to...
Mars Hill Worship Gathering - Jacksonville, Florida - Sr. Pastor Adam Flynt
Mars Hill is a brand new church plant that has hit the ground running! They just launched last fall with 200 people and have been going strong since. Their first year included a study of Psalm 139 called "Identity." During this 5-week series, they took a basic element, the worship guide, and gave it a dramatic twist by transforming it into a credit card. These custom-printed cards, complete with message series information and the church's web address, were enclosed in a handmade gift card-sized envelope to allow space for additional information.
These cards served a bigger purpose, however. They were handed out each week in order for members to use them as conversation starters and invite tools. During each service, a few gift cards for the local coffee shop were hidden under random chairs in their worship center. Pastor Flynt found himself in line behind one such person taking advantage of the gift card, and it sparked a great conversation!
On the final day of the series, each person received two cards. At the conclusion of the message, each member was given the opportunity to sign their card and turn it in as a sign of their true identity in Christ. The second one could be kept to serve as a reminder to themselves. The staff then divided up the cards that were turned in to pray over them.
This was a great attention grabber that provoked thought as well as action by serving as an invite tool. Way to go, Mars Hill - we look forward to seeing you at C3!
Second Place goes to...
Door of Hope - Fairbanks, Alaska - Media Director, Tyler Williams
Some of you may remember Door of Hope as a finalist from last year. Well, Tyler Williams and Door of Hope brought their A-game yet again this year. They continue to use humor and creativity to keep their congregation up to date on everything happening at Door of Hope. These short clips have fun with the subject matter while communicating the necessary information. Here are a couple of examples:
OUT OF SEASON SNOWMAN: A church alternative for Halloween with a theme of "winter wonderland" (fall in Alaska!) and no snow in sight forced them to look outside the box. A foam carrot, a top hat, a scarf and two twigs birthed the snowman who doesn't go away when the snow melts. Here, the man under the snow is still around doing his job--just without the snow.
CAVEMAN CAMPING: This short clip demonstrates the very difficult and somewhat embarrassing issues prehistoric man faced when camping. Don't forget your teddy bear, a sharp stick, blow torch, and the oh-so-important toilet paper. The caveman in this video was careful to include these necessities! "Don't camp like the caveman! Camp like the 21st Century comfort-capable person you are at the Youth Summer Camp!"
And Runner Up is...
Church of the Suncoast - Land O' Lakes, Florida - Lead Pastor Brian Moon
Church of the Suncoast, a brand-new church on a tight budget, managed to pack a powerful punch with their video submission.
SAVE THEM: Short and to the point, this video wastes no time hitting you in the heart. It asks the poignant question "If you had a friend, and you found out they were dying...what would you do to Save Them?" In just over a minute it paints a powerful perspective on those around us that really are dying.
Excellent job, all! We want to say an enthusiastic thank you to everyone who participated. It really is a treat to see such outstanding creativity in each submission. Thank you again for sharing!
Ed Young's latest book, Outrageous, Contagious Joy, was selected as the Top Pick in the January 1, 2007 edition of Christian Retailing Magazine. Here's a look at the review, written by Christine D. Johnson:
