when does a logo need to evolve?

Starbucks & XC. Time for a logo change?
Here I go, probably going to get myself in trouble again. It’s time to re-evaluate our XC logo.
Starbucks has cause all sorts of ruckus with it's announcement of a new changed logo yesterday.
But I like it, I get it.

I personally have felt it has been time to re-evaluate XC’s logo for awhile now.

Colors need to be updated?

Is text is bang-on?

Font needs to be updated?

Does it reflect who we have become?

There are ways to update it and not change the overall concept.

Let me be clear, here are just my personal thoughts…

Color palette needs to be updated from 1980’s to a more current color palette.

Keep the X and add the C into the graphic. That is what more people are actually calling ourselves now.
Minimize, lighten in color the Minimize, lighten in color the CROSSCURRENT to the size and color of the Ministries. Keep the all caps &  add .org (?)

Point: It is interesting; our old school people still abbreviate our church C.C., while most of the newer people and groups use X.C. See they are actually picking up the X in our logo, it seems to reflect who we are currently.

Please note: I am NOT a graphic artist, so this is just a conceptual picture, not an accurate example.

Changing a logo – pros and cons

holograms, seriously...

I recognize that where I go in my mind with stage designs and experiential elements for worship is off the chain. That being said, seriously, holograms in the worship experience is one small step closer to being a reality.

With not an ounce of technical ability; I am a dreamer, a visionary, the “vicar of vibe”. I see things, a simple image or video clip and I instantly start extrapolating it into how it could be utilized in the worship experience. Trust me, I find it just as odd and unusual as I am sure other people do. I seriously don’t believe it is me. I strongly believe that God has this ability see things in new ways.

So, simply put, I see these visions for the future, I pray for specifics (people with the needed talents and skills) and “Pow” He provides. Honestly I don’t really get it; I just keep stepping out in faith. I don’t know where this journey will lead.

Last Thursday I had a meeting with Nick (the large scale projections guy) and David, most awesome media guy. It was a “getting to know you” session. Nick works with a local company that specializes in providing full-service audiovisual rental, staging and production services, with a specialty in HD widescreen projection and keynote development. Read: Large Scale Projections. Woo Hoo!
In the course of our conversation, I mentioned the fact that I have dreamed for utilizing holograms in a worship environment for several years now.
His company probably something along this scale of holographic imaging (click to watch the first video showreel image).
If you continue down, you can watch the Radiometer Free Format™ Case. This is more along the line of what I have been thinking about.
Large scale, free format, holographic imaging. Probably in the open air space above the auditorium seating. There are several links in this post cheoptics on the brain.

This is the video that prompted the idea of using holograms in worship in my brain about 4 years ago


Next step…I believe it is to continue to pray for someone with grant writing experience.
So hear I go…

10 thousand doors…

One of my favorite things to do is think creatively, bounce ideas around with my brother who is in advertising. He is a professional; I am simply passionate about it.
So, my awesome brother sent me this link to 10 THOUSANDDOORS… on fb.
It’s a must go to…

The concept RETHINK CHURCH What if church wasn’t a building, but a thousand doors? In one word brilliant.

The site is easy to navigate. Using a twitter feed is culturally relevant, though I was thrown a bit when I clicked, because I wasn’t expecting a twitter feed.

I physically felt drawn to enter into the doors. I wanted to find out more about the random doors placed in the middle of a park across from the Capital, overseas, at a building site…

I particularly am fascinated with the concept of keeping the UMC logo small. It bothers me when anyone gets all “splashy”, including churches. It reminds me of “Make My Logo Bigger Cream”

“Splashy” no – branded yes. I saw it almost immediately.

IMHO the UMC denom is one of the very few denoms that has actually successfully re-branded themselves well in recent years. This website is proof.

In short, well thought out and skillfully executed.

The best part for me is this website gave me fodder to extrapolate a thought for our current series at XC. Don’t ask how this works, it’s just the way my mind works. The series is based on one of our taglines that has become central to our DNA.

“imperfect church. be safe, be real, be changed…”

Here is one of the pics we are using for print media…
We are also printing this (sans series title) and two more onto 4’ x 6’ foam core and going to fly them on stage along with old windows and a door.
So my initial thought was I need to buy a “No Trespassing” sign to hang on the door. Duh, not sure why I didn’t think about it before. What I’d love to see is during one of the messages, that the teaching pastor actually take the sign off the door and rip it apart.

Do you feel it?

Our new website (deux)…

Here I am with hat in hand…
I have a tendency to write exactly like I talk, I am apologizing publicly that I may not have expressed as much excitement for our new website as I am feeling…
So here goes:
I was actually first intro’d to SiteOrganic back in June of last year; I immediately fell in love and was on the band wagon. Even before we were in the market for a new company.
PTB (powers that be), is a process. It took awhile to work through all the various people, committees, but that is life in a church or any organization. The entire time, I was praying for us to be able to use SiteOrganic specifically.
They are an amazing company and IMHO, EVERYONE has been over the top helpful; I would highly recommend them to anyone out there.
I will always be completely honest here. But, you know the standard disclaimer: this is my personal opinion, not in anyway a reflection of my awesome church…
Also, simply know that if I didn’t like it, I never would have even mentioned it, and certainly wouldn’t have linked to. I would just continue to do as I have done for the last year
I am proud to say our website does now reflect who we are…
Thank you to all the dedicated people who worked so hard to make this happen. I’ll say it yet again, I am so blessed to serve with such incredibly talented and committed team.
So, here goes again…
(drum roll please)Our new website for CrossCurrent Ministries…
Powered by SiteOrganic.

our new website...

You have never seen a link to our churches website in my blog until today. It has been very intentional.

Why? Because our previous website was “sucktacular”. Personally I was very embarrassed. Mostly because it didn't match up with who we really are at XC.

One of my main missions in life is to hang out with young pieced, tattooed, unchurched, disenfranchised skeptics. Who mostly tend to be GEND. A non-generational demographic tag I created that groups people by digitally enhanced/enabled media. There was no way I was going to send people to a website that screamed "early 90's and out of touch".

First, let me explain, it has taken us from start to finish about 8 months to final convinced the PTB (process that be) that our old website was completely outdated.

We just went live on our new website powered by SiteOrganic.
Disclaimer: Our people picked the template. The liaison from SiteOrganic has been so incredibly wonderful.
But, we now have a website and it is infinitely better than what we had. There is still a LOT of work to be done.

So, here goes…
Our new website for CrossCurrent Ministries…

(edited 2/22/09)

vicar of vibe...

I made a decision years ago…
I am very called to walk with the skeptic, pierced, tattooed and disenfranchised (read: mostly younger) unbelievers of this world.
Everything I do is filtered through this calling.
It is why I fb. It is why I have a cell phone and txt.
It’s why I watch the most popular youtube vid’s, like “Charlie the Unicorn” (very popular with junior high – college age)
I listen to hard rock radio stations. (it’s what all my younger 20 something’s listen to)
I watch reality tv. In fact, I try to watch very new show (on broadcast tv) at least once. I track the most popular shows, like sytycd, Survivor, LOST, C.S.I., etc.
I have connections on deviantart.
I check out simworlds.
I turned down a full time job with my church, because it didn’t fit my giftings and more importantly it would have taken time away from hanging outside of Starbucks where I meet my skeptics.
Then I take all these experiences and try to design worship elements that will connect with these people. As long as it glorifies God, of course.
There are plenty of experiences at many churches that connect with the believer.
I want to reach the lost. Period.
It’s just what I do; it’s what I am called to do….

What are you called to do?

graphics…

A few simple tips today…

Along with technology the changes in worship graphics are growing exponentially. I still remember the days of black words on a white over head projector screen. Yet, if you are in a ministry that tends to focus on the technologically savvy it’s still important to remember basic design concepts along with implementation of new technologies.

1. One thing dominates the screen. When you look at a well-designed page, there is usually one dominant feature that your eye will gravitate towards.

What is the first thing your eye is drawn to in this example?
All I see is the face. Eyes particularly are drawn to faces.

2. Minimize typeface variety. Don't mix and match multiple fonts just because you are able. Stay away from weird type styles - you don't want your worship to resemble a used car commercial.Choose one or two nice, readable fonts and stick with them throughout your service. Times Roman is bland - start with Arial, Verdana or Helvetica.
Notice the difference in readability in the following samples. Particularly note the difference between serifs (the details on the end of the letters) and sans serif.

Generally a font that is crisp and clean and well spaced out is easier to read. My personal belief is that serifs tend to get in the way.
Whenever you use a new font, try it out on the screen before worship. What looks good on your computer monitor might not look so hot enlarged in 40 point font.

3. Easy to read text. Tiny text is hard to read on screen. Centering lyrics is the trend, but you learn Art 101 college class that this tires the eye - lyrics should be "flush left" - like a newspaper column. See how hard it is to read the following. The eye has to search for the beginning of each line: 4. Use caution with bells and whistles. It’s always fun to find a new technique. But, don’t overdo it. Not every song, not every week. Currently this is motion graphics.

5. Pay attention to details. My favorite story is there is a motion graphic on a popular worship media program that has a deer peacefully drinking at the edge of a calm body of water. In the far background there is a lion stalking the deer.

As always prayerful consideration in all you do. That is a given.

What are your design guidelines (pet peeves) about worship graphics?

church marketing....

I watched a show on advertizing and internet presence.
They were discussing the current state of the economy; and how often businesses will make the mistake of cutting back on the money spent on advertizing. This is a mistake. You need to spend your money on marketing.
Often times I find that some churches eschew the terminology of marketing. But the reality is that whether you are intentionally designing a marketing plan or not you are still marketing.

Keeping in mind your target demographics and location, you need to make sure people can find you. Understand that a large majority of people aren’t looking in the newspaper anymore. They are dong goggle searches.

You would think that in this day and age that people would understand that the internet is a cheaper and more efficient means of advertizing.

Whether your clicks are organically high or you pay per click you need to get yourself get your clicks higher.
Their suggestions:
Insure that you include in your title: keywords and where you are located
Make sure your first paragraph tells exactly what you are doing
If people get there they better find the right information or they will click away.

So, is your website effective?

(vicar of vibe)

I am Dorothy. The self appointed (vicar of vibe). Everything I do is geared towards what is relevant to the skeptic mind of this up and coming generation. The first goal of everything that I design (creative elements in worship) is geared towards enticing the skeptic.

Radio:

I alternate between the top rating hard rock radio station, top 40, and country. I rarely listen to Christian radio.

Follow Nielson ratings:
TV: I watch everything on broadcast tv at least one time, whether I like it or not. If it is hot, I watch it more often.
Cable (this cracks me up):
Nascar is always up there.
Sponge Bob is in the top rated cable shows all the time.

But, being mindful that the 20 somethings (and younger) don’t really watch tv. They download more often than TiVo. Life is on demand. A favorite quote I recently found was; *I love that we are considered both “technologically proficient” and “technologically promiscuous”… They’re right… I’m fickle… and so are all the students in my world…. (Brad Cooper’s blog)

Digitally enhanced/enabled media:
More importantly, one of the trends I have been following for many years is that our society is undergoing major changes in the syntax of our lifestyles and communications. It isn’t defined by age/generation . It is defined by technology and mindset.
I even coined a new tag to define GEND (digital generation). Simply stated you either are digitally connected or not. You either get it or you don’t get it. This digitally enhanced/enabled media is re-defining the boundaries on how various social groups and generations interface with each other: on some very basic levels, i.e. general preferences in lifestyle, communication and worship environments. A new language of interactivity has evolved. And this is giving rise to this digitally divided generation bracket.

But, most significantly, I hang out with younger skeptics. I don't know why, but God has blessed me with the ability to be friends with the tattooed, pierced, disenfranchised skeptics. I love it. We talk about everything, including spiritual things. It's imperitive to be non-judgemental, love them where they are at. I really listen to what is important to them.

We have to pay attention to these trends and make a choice not to get stuck in any mindset. We must stay cutting edge all the time. Never resting. Not doing ministry from memory instead of imagination.
Cutting edge can sometimes hurt, but it is much better than becoming dull. More people are cut with dull knives than sharp. But, I feel it is the sacrifice we must make to stay culturally relevant for each generation.

There you have it. It’s what I am called to do.

I am Dorothy (vicar of vibe)…

What do you do to stay culturally relevant? And how does it reflect in your worship design?

graphics...

I'll just mention I wasn't too fond of our current graphic.

To be fair, we softened it a lot because of the children.

AND, we just recently created a multi-media team. Previously, our poor graphics person was just hanging out, using istock photos, without any drection really.

Our last series (forgiv3n3ss) graphic was our first in house design by the awesome David Spicer and was really cool. It branded across with an in house video.

So we are working on it.

Do you have an in house graphic artist?

myspace v. facebook...

TIME: MySpace v. Facebook: competing addictions...
Intersting article, almost a year old on the differences between the demographics of facebook and MySpace.

"On a per capita basis, MySpace has 4% more women visiting its site than Facebook. Facebook users tend to be more affluent, with its users skewing towards households earning over $60,000 per year, while MySpace users skew toward lower income levels, with 12% more of its users earning under $60,000 per year. Using the psychographic system Mosaic to track U.S. Internet users, it's clear that there's a class distinction between users of the two social networks. Facebook's most predominant group of visitors in Mosaic is "affluent suburbia," a group that Mosaic describes as "the wealthiest households in the U.S., living in exclusive suburban neighborhoods enjoying the best that life has to offer." The predominant group for MySpace, on the other hand, is "struggling societies," or households that are primarily single parent, single income, raising families on lower incomes and tight budgets."

I wonder what the stats say now?

Do you do MySpace, facebook, both or niether?

I have only 114 friends on facebook, feel free to become my friend. I closed down my MySpace a couple months ago. i hardly know anyone on MySpace. Hmmmm, what does that say about me?

fishbowls vs. ocean…

**stepping onto soapbox**

My stated goal is to find the fishies in the ocean without a fishbowl
That is who I AM says i am to be…a fisherwoman
I am called to design new fish food.

This is going to sound harsh.
If you are a fishy from another fishbowl, I don’t care…
See, fishies from other fishbowls come in and say “back at my old fishbowl we”…
When I hear that I just shut down. I try NOT to say with all the love my little heart can muster “Go back to your old fishbowl”. (edited)

I’m not concerned with the type of fish food you like; there are lots of places to get fish food.
So what if the coral was brown I your last fishbowl, if the fishies in the ocean like fuchsia coral, then I’ll be adding a little fuchsia coral…
I don’t even care if I like fuchsia coral…

One of the fishies at my fishbowls felt drawn to our fishbowl because we are real, not afraid to get dirty. We also have rock worship music in our fishbowl. This fishy feels compelled to add lots of tradition hymns, because it is what she likes.
(Disclaimer: there is nothing wrong with hymns, it’s all about the heart.)

There are a lot of fishbowls out there, go find one that is already designed for you. I promise you it is out there…
It’s almost like I want to say IF you want to join us in this fishbowl…recognize it isn’t about you (or me).
Be prepared to fish!

**stepping off soapbox**

The Great Fishing Expedition (Commission) Matthew: 16-20
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and fish in the ocean and make disciples of all those fishies, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Just to clarify: there are lovely people in our fishbowl that play with the fishies and feed them once they make that leap into the fishbowl.

singing to You…

It’s so simple…

change the words…

Him to You…

us to me…

I know the thought process behind corporate worship paradigms. But, also I just want to flat sing to You…

never liked jazz music...

Los at Ragamuffin does it again with His “Dear Worship Dude”…

This “person” is exactly who is in my head and heart when creating worship elements. I keep trying to get others on our team to “see” this person.

It’s all I think about, all I talk about…

When I ask “what about the “skeptic” I get the same old response. But, what “I hear” in that response is “if we design for things we like (cause we are 80’s cool and hip) then God’s mighty power will transcend and touch the hearts of those skeptics that happen to be there…”

It so reminds me of the mentality of “we want new young people to come to our church, BUT we are not willing to change. They should learn to worship our way.”

I’m going to be really blunt here, When I hear someone say “at my old church”, I cringe. I know that whatever comes out next will be something antiquated like “we did James Taylor’s “Shower the People You Love”-esque…

I agree God is that great; but I contend that it’s doesn’t hurt to design elements that give Him and the Holy Spirit a fighting chance.

And I have to say (because someone always brings it up), it’s not about doing Christianity lite…Please, I am a Christ follower just like you. It’s still about worshipping and glorifying God, telling the greatest story ever told and preaching the Word.

It is such a fine line…

I say, as long as our first goal is to design everything to worship and glorify God; why not design for the skeptic and dechurched frame of mind.

For God’s power is mighty and He is able to transcend into the heart of the “lukewarm believer”.

If we design something that is cutting edge, culturally relevant it gives “that person” something that is familiar to connect to. Do that and then genuine hearts of worship will touch “that person”.

One of my very favorite quotes “I never liked jazz music, because jazz music doesn't resolve. But sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself...I used to not like God, because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened."-Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz)

So, as always I go back to: entice the skeptic, challenge the lukewarm, and thrill the believer to new levels of passion…

bulletin bored…

Thought you might be interested and read this poll at Ragamuffin Soul (I believe his readership is about 4,000, worldwide and cross denominational) and maybe share with others…

We need to study current trends and listen…
These are voices that need to be heard. They mirror what I hear at our church.

Short question: If there is one program/event that your organization could kill in order to place those resources to better use…What would it be?

Very revealing answers… Ragamuffin Soul…

The two top answers were:
1) kill the paper bulletin and
2) drop the confining order of worship

So kill the white paper bulletin! Hardly anyone reads it past the first time anyway…
save trees…
save time…
save office personnel hours…
save money…

All those resources could then be used for better things…

This is what I do with my bulletin....















Here's a great idea how to transition out of paper bulletins:
AFTER; we have our new website site up and running...



From Los at Ragamuffin Soul



We are trying something new.For this new series that we are in called “Identity” we decided to create a “secret website” which is nothing more than our current blog with a forwarded domain name and a new template.Instead of handing out a bulletin with lots of information, we handed out secret identity cards with a web address on it.Our people had to go to that website and we now are catering the information we want to give them online.














I am so stealing this idea...

extrapolate...

Perfect example of extrapolation...

The creatives at Topeka Bible Church, in Kansas took the popular idea (culturally relevant) of synchronized Christmas light shows to great music and created a Christmas Light Show with live music presented in the venue of their parking lot as a way to reach out to their community.

What a great example of being culturally relevant, co-missional, and smashing paradigms...

My Music Writer in Kansas

learning pyramid...

If this isn't a case for experiential worship design, I don't know what is...

This just gives teeth to why I am constantly pushing to add experiential elements into our worship design. I am not a numbers person, but these numbers are hard to deny.

In practice: I think we do well at XC with the first three levels of this pyramid. Lecture, reading and audiovisual. Though we still don't do near enough.

It's once we hit the last four levels of learning on this chart that we don't seem to hit the mark.
Some of it deals with doing design "from memory", instead of "imagination". Which seems to be constant battle.

Other thoughts are that our team doesn't have enough experience with these type of (experiential) elements and don't seem to understand the implications and increase of retention that occurs.
I am constantly aware that I speak a completely different language of ideas.
Think about the exponential implications of incorporating 5S (all 5 Senses) when reading the following comments from Steve Fridsma at archiNEXTure:

"Lets go back to the learning chart. According to the National Training Laboratory:

-People retain only 5% of what they experience in a lecture setting. What is a sermon?
-Add the reading of words on a screen - perhaps song lyrics and scripture. Maybe some sermon bullet points. That doubles retention, to 10%. Plus, the singing is at least participatory and aimed at God and gives us opportunity to reflect and listen.
-Add images, pictures, video, props, illustrations, a theme, a metaphor. We're now at 20% retention. Not too great, but still 4 times the talking head.
-Add interactive discussion and Q&A. We're now at 50% retained. Ten times the talking head.
-Add service projects - either internal or external - hands-on, interactive ministry with concrete results. 75% - 90% retained."

So, I will just keep pushing the envelope trying to add interactive/experiential elements each week...