Thinking About This War

I read this today from Seth Godin blog.

This is the first war that's a marketing war.

The New York Police Department just released a report on Jihad and terrorism. [It seems as though the NYPD has taken the document down. Not sure why....Here it is.] It's controversial, particularly among people who haven't read it. I'm going to skip over some of the ethnic generalizations and focus on other parts of the document... I think there are some fascinating implications for marketing in this document, so here's my riff (those who wish I would just write about selling soap should skip to my next post).

How come there are no longer any famous bank robbers?
During the heyday of bank robbery (from Butch Cassidy to John Dillinger), banks were a great option for criminals. After all, that's where the money is.

The FBI realized that they didn't just have a crime problem. They had a marketing problem. Bad guys knew that robbing banks paid. In response, the FBI did a few things. First, they focused on catching every single bank robber. And second, and more important, they built Alcatraz and promoted it like crazy.

Alcatraz marketed a concept. "Bank robbery is a really bad idea." Combine that with some big arrests, marked bills, silent alarms, video cameras and some movies and TV shows and the act of robbing a bank shifted from easy to dumb. There's no doubt that Dick Tracy and the FBI TV series did more to stop bank heists than bullets ever did. The money might have been in the banks, but smart crooks looked elsewhere to commit their crimes.

No ads were purchased, but marketing was done nonetheless. Stop for a minute and think about that. The FBI did this on purpose. They marketed to criminals. They spread an ideavirus.
Some people saw the post 9/11 world as an enforcement problem. With enough guns and wiretaps (along with a modern Alcatraz), the idea was that a similar sort of anti-crime marketing could be effective. Catch every single terrorist and put them in a high profile jail. I don't agree with this perspective. There's still a marketing problem, but it's a different one.
As the NYPD report points out, fundamentalist terrorism is an ideavirus. It spreads (via mass media) but unlike bank robbers, Jihadists and others are far more immune to the idea of law enforcement. In fact, unlike the bank robbery meme, the ideavirus that leads to this behavior is actually enhanced and further spread by traditional enforcement tactics and martyrdom.
The NYPD report frequently mentions the Internet as an enabler and connector, but monitoring and regulating the internet isn't going to be effective in stopping the problem. If the RIAA can't stop file sharing, imagine how difficult it will be to hinder the spread of text online. The medium is far too permeable. If we shut down all media, including the Internet, we could slow the virus, but even that wouldn't stop it--and no one is willing to pay that price.

The best way to counter an ideavirus, any ideavirus, is not by challenging the medium in which it spreads. It didn't stop pirate radio or salacious TV shows or online porn. What has always worked the best is countering one ideavirus with another one. To use the same medium to spread a different, better, more powerful ideavirus. You don't counter racism by making the act of uttering racist statements against the law. You do it by spreading an idea (racism is hateful, wrong and stupid) that keeps the racist from expressing his ideas because all his friends will shun him if he doesn't.

If you want moderate ideas to spread in a community, promote the people who are spreading those ideas. Make them heroes. Amplify their message and help it spread.

Hamas leverages and extends its power in Palestine by providing health care in neighborhoods. That's the message that gets through to the people on the ground. Every action a group (any group) takes tells a story. What's that story? Does it spread? When it spreads, how does that story affect the conversations that people have with each other? If the NYPD is right (and I think their analysis of how this meme spreads is right) then the most important thing our government can do is discuss what sort of ideavirus they are working to spread. And then take action. And spread the right story in the right way.

What's the story? What is the TSA 'saying' in their work at LAX? What is the brave soldier saying as she does her stint in Takrit? What does the NYPD or the school district or the local hospital say as they interact with immigrants in their daily lives?

I guarantee you I don't know the answer. I don't know where we should send troops and how long we should stay there. I don't know who to arrest and what to look for. But I do know this: it's a marketing problem, the most important one we face. By and large, the marketing is being done by people who don't see that we have a marketing problem. Understanding the words and concepts behind the ideavirus is the critical next step in spreading the right message to the people who need to hear it.

I sat in my office six years ago, looking south along the Hudson and watching our world change. I don't think anyone could have predicted then where we'd be now. I'm hopeful that by looking forward, we can market our way to better place. Thousands of brave people have sacrificed for our safety and peace of mind. I'm grateful to them. The next step is to get smart about strategy and marketing.

Pot at the End of the Rainbow

Do I need to say anything?

Crocs

New Podcast

Here are the links to 2 new messages from Christ the Deliverer by Fr. Joe Butler.

From the Grandstands

Salty Light

Walking On Water

There was Jesus, then Peter, and now this this poor guy.

Servant Evangelism Video

Check out the link and watch the video by Steve Sjogren on Servant Evangelism. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxqirOI_lrk

Gator Football

Gator Football: Need I say anymore?

Are We Borning With The Good News?

Click on the link below and check out this video. It's funny but maybe it will make us think about our Sunday Services.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUniFpU0rQA

Where On Earth Is The Church Going? by Steve Sjogren

Ever wonder “Where will things be in ten years?” I abide by the wisdom that our greatest mistake is to overestimate what can happen in the long run (ten years say) and to underestimate what change can happen in the short haul (five years).

With that in mind, let me take a shot at what I see coming around the corner in several areas in the Church scene in the next decade in several important areas that make up the spiritual “umph." I am basing this not on what I see happening right now, but on what I sense is the convergence of what God has obviously been up to over the past several decades. Rivers tend to flow, not zig zag. His progress is referred to as a river continually in the scriptures. That direction seems to point to the following.

This week let’s look at evangelism.

From Complexity to Simplification
Simple does not mean nixing the message one bit. Peter apparently thought there was great power in the Early Church in believers sharing their Jesus Story – “be ready to give an account of the hope the lies within you…” If it is possible to be over trained and to try too hard to be effective, we have gone that distance in many cases. We have undermined the profound power that is present in conveying to others how Jesus has changed our lives as Peter directs us. Keep in mind, for the first 3.5 centuries when the Church’s effectiveness was at an all time high they had not access to the printed scriptures. What they did have was an unstoppable passion and a conviction that people mattered big time – and they were armed with their life changing story they were not one bit afraid to share once they had gained the right to convey that story.

From www.stevesjogren.com

Money For Karate Lessons

If what you are doing doesn't work then change your method.

New Podcast

Here is another CTD Podcast. Click in the name of the message and it will take you to the podcast page. Changing the World...Even when it seems like your alone.

New Podcast

Here are 2 message that I gave at Christ the Deliverer in St. Augustine, FL.

Just click the link below and it will take you to the podcast.

Changing the World - Part 1

Changing the World...even when it seems crazy - Part 2

City Gates

The City Gates and the Fort in St. Augustine, Florida - The Nation's Oldest City

Dare Not Walk Alone

I just found this yesterday. Film maker Jeremy Dean made a movie called "Dare Not Walk Alone." This is about the Civil Rights struggle here in St. Augustine and it's history. But it is also about the struggle that still goes on here in St. Augustine after some 43 years. Here is a link to the movie website.

"Creators of Culture"

I found this on Scott Hodge's blog. Really good article - "Evangelicals seek role as creators of culture. " From a MSNBC posting.

Here's Your Sign

This is a sign between San Antonio and Houston TX. Got this from Bishop Kenneth Myers website.

My Best Friend and Supporter

I want to introduce to you my very best friend and supporter I have ever had. She is my wife Eileen. We have been through so much stuff together over the last 9 years. I can hardly believe that this October we will be married 10 years.
I want to publicly thank my wife for believing in me and standing by my side through everything. She is one who always sees the glass being half-full. She encourages me, kicks me in the butt when I need it, and loves me no matter what. Thanks babe!!!

Another Mark of Stupid on the Church!

My wife was talking to a friend of ours who lives in another part of the country. Our friends have a little girl who is about 8 years old and is autistic. They recently moved to this city because of a job transfer. They began to look for a church to attend and found one. After attending a service, which they really liked, the children’s director came to them and told them that they needed to attend the other Sunday service. They explained that it was impossible for them to get to that service. But it didn’t matter. If this little girl was to be a part of the children’s ministry, there was only one service they would allow her to attend. The worst part was that there was no explanation given for this decision on the part of the children’s director.
When I heard this it made my blood boil. I can understand that from time to time we may not have staff to deal with situations that may arise in our ministries. But you deal with it in a way that Jesus would deal with it. Thank God that these people are long time Christ-followers who did not walk away from the Church. What would have happened if they were young in their relationship with the Lord or a "not yet believer." I can say they have left "that" church and are looking for another.

In our places of service God so many times gives us opportunities for innovation and servant-hood and we miss it. God please help us to not miss it - but get it right!

Church Planter's iPhone

Small Things Change the World

Recently a movie came out called Evan Almighty that has a message that I think every Christ-follower should examine. In this movie Evan wants to make a difference. I will not tell you everything that happens in case you haven’t seen the movie, but the gist of it is that God appears to Evan and upsets his world with a mission – to build an ark. In the process Evan says that he doesn’t know where to begin. God tells Evan that he hears that a lot and then he asks Evan if he wants to know where to begin. God tells him that it begins with one random act of kindness at a time.

What a concept! You would think that this would be something natural for Christ-followers. But unfortunately that is not the perception of most "not yet believers." I recently played a video during one of my messages that showed a ‘man on the street’ segment. In this video people were asked what they thought when they heard the word Christian and Jesus. Most everyone had very favorable things to say about Jesus but when it came to the Christians it was totally different.

Christians were seen as judgmental, unkind, unloving, and rude.

That is very sad when you think about it. The word Christian came about because people were acting like Christ.

Well, I believe that we as Christ-followers are called to change this image of the Church. We should be making it easier for "not yet believers" to come to faith, not harder. I’m not talking about changing the message of faith, but the way we as Christ-followers live our lives.

What would happen if we took the advice of God in Evan Almighty? What would happen if we took it to heart to commit one random act of kindness a day, if we truly began to live as the people of God and not self-righteous Pharisees looking down on people? Well I tell you what would happen. Our city would begin to see change. Paul said it is the kindness of God that leads men to repentance.

Where do you and I begin? With one random act of kindness. Why not buy the coffee for the person behind you at Starbucks or Barnes and Noble and let them know that God loves them - no stings attached. Why not help the single mom who is doing everything she can, but still needs some help with the kids or needs her oil changed. How about the person who cannot care for their lawn anymore? The list goes on and on.

These may not seem like spiritual things but they really are spiritual. You see, small things done with great love change the world.

If you would like to read more about this type of lifestyle, my friend Steve Sjogren has written a great book called Conspiracy of Kindness.

Also if you are tired of church as usual and want to be a part of a community of faith that is trying to live the Jesus lifestyle come visit Christ the Deliverer. We meet at St. John’s Academy at 1533 Wildwood Drive every Sunday at 10am. Also, you can learn more about this lifestyle at www.fr-joe.blogspot.com.