Forget the snuggie.  I’m getting one of these.

Imagine how great this would look at the ballgame too!

Even though good people may be bothered by trouble seven times, they are never defeated…  Proverbs 24:16a (NCV)

Those that wait upon the Lord will never be ashamed.

5. Empty Space is Your Friend

Don’t feel like you’ve got to fill every bit of white space on your card.  Try to give the reader’s eye some space to rest in.  Give ample margins and minimize the amount of text you put on your card.  Remember, as a rule of thumb that more space means a classier look.  Look at the way Apple uses empty space in all their ads for instance.  Also, avoid trying to say everything.  You really don’t need your statement of faith on there for instance.  Stay on message.

6. Cards Have a Long Tail

Marketing is really an investment and never a cost.  Beyond that, you must learn to look at direct mail as a long-term investment.  You will certainly see a little boost in your visitor numbers when the card hits if you design it correctly but they truth is that the real payoff of the card is more long-term.  We would routinely see people walking into our church carrying cards we mailed a year before.  What happens is that people put these cards on their refrigerators or whatever and then, later, when they experience some sort of crisis they decide they need to go to church and they remember your card.

With all this in mind, mail as often as you can afford to get this snowball effect working for you.  Remember, that if you design your card well it could literally pay off for years to come.

7. Don’t Bait and Switch

I once got a very slick looking card in the mail for a local church.  It showed a happy family in casual clothes having a great time.  I had never heard of the church so I went to their web site to check them out only to learn that they were a hard core KJV-only church.  They even had a section stressing that you should dress appropriately (coat and tie/dresses) on their site.  I couldn’t get over the disconnect between the card and the culture of the church.  I could only imagine how a visitor would have felt if they actually attended that church based on what was being communicated with their direct mail card.

Simply put, your card should match your church.  All of your marketing should clearly communicate who you really are and what people can really expect.  Always look at your card and ask yourself “Is this really us?”

Wow!  I’ve really been out of the loop for a while.  Let me try to crank out some good old fashioned Sunday stuff.

• My trip to Disney was good but very brief.   I really was only on the ground there for two days before I flew back.  Thank God for my in-laws that work at the park and for frequent flier miles of this trip would have never happened.
• I had a great time at church today.  I really felt like God was moving during the service.  I loved talking about the power of community.
• We had the crepes bar rocking again in the lobby before the service.  It’s weird how the worked out but the guy that owns that company called us and made us a deal we couldn’t refuse.
• I don’t normally eat anything before I preach so the crepe bar is a bit of mixed blessing to me.  :D
• We had a newcomers lunch today and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It’s always so cool meeting people that are new to Fusion and hearing their stories.  Their excitement about Fusion always reminds we why we do church the way we do it.
• I’m waiting on Amy to get home from Disney to watch Lost premiere.  Please don’t tell me about it and please pray that I have the strength to resist the temptation to watch it without her.  ;)
• I want a hat like Aretha Franklin wore at the inauguration.  I think I’d look good in something like that.
• I thought this video was classy and touching.
• I think big changes are ahead for Fusion.  I feel it in my bones.
• Please pray for me as  I seek God about some big stuff this week.
• I’m really excited about our new growth group format.  I think this semester our groups going to rock like never before.
• Christa Sellers is a doing a great job for us heading up our growth groups.  Thanks for all your hard work, Christa!
• I can’t wait for our Group Connection on Feb 2.  Remember, this is a church-wide event.  We want to see everyone there!
• I’m amazed at how many people signed up last week for the Group Connection before we even explained what it was.  Again, I think our groups are about to explode.  (In a good way, of course.)
• I just added this quote from Antony of Egypt, who lived in the third century, to my quotes collection, “Be astounded that God should have written to us.”  Love it!
• I think my days of being back on facebook are numbered.
• That’s all I’ve got for right now.
• Later.

I just want to remind all you folks that we’re having a newcomers lunch this Sunday after the service. If you’re new to Fusion, this an outstanding way to learn a little more about the church and meet the staff. You’ll also get to meet me! Well, nothing’s perfect. Seriously though, it gives me a chance to meet you and answer any questions you might have.

We still have some seats available. If you’re interested, please contact Sheryl at Sheryl@createfusion.com. The lunch is free and childcare is provided. Don’t miss out!

I’m currently in the van with my wonderful family somewhere near Tifton, Georgia. We’re on our way to see Amy’s folks and Disney World.

Honestly, it’s sort of a weird time for me to be getting away but we put this on the calendar a long time ago and there’s never a good time to go. Regardless, I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.

I’m not sure how much I’ll be blogging but I’m sure I’ll post some pictures along the way.

BTW, I’m flying back Saturday so that I can teach this weekend. We’re starting a new series and it’s going to be awesome!!

I know that I always say this but it’s true.  I’m really excited about this Sunday.  We’re wrapping up the “You Don’t Have What It Takes” series and it’s going to be flat out amazing.  I know that God is going to set some people free during the service!!

The band also is opening the service with one of my favorite songs and they’re doing it in a very unique way.  Trust me.  You don’t want to miss the first five minutes of the service.

See you there!

I didn’t really think anyone had taken any pictures of my juggling during the service on January 4th but I was wrong.  I just got these shots from Angie Hipps and I thought you all might like to see them.  I know that is just looks like I was standing there but, trust me, I did actually throw the clubs around with the guy.  Well, sort of.  :)  Enjoy!

(Thanks, Davis and Angie, for sending these to me.)

As I look back, I think it’s safe to say that God used direct mail in a major way to establish our church. In other words, we mailed a lot of postcards and learned a lot along the way. With that in mind, I’d like to share some things that we learned…