It looks like Apple will begin advertising to the huge number of people who visit YouTube. An 18 year-old named Nick Haley has created a new commercial that Apple will use to market their new iPod Touch. The video Nick created shows off everything the new iPod Touch can do. Watching the clip on YouTube, you’d never know it wasn’t a commercial created by Apple itself. Nick made a good video that must have caught Steve Jobs’ eye.
It’s interesting that Apple is tapping into the YouTube crowd to get the word out. I guess they have figured that they need to advertise to their market where they are at. If their target audience is the crowd of millions that use YouTube, what a better way to spread the word.
It’s interesting the way we try to “market” or reach kids with the Gospel. The ones who do it right take the Gospel where the kids are.
I wonder what would happen if you bought commercial time on Nickelodeon? What about buying some pre-show commercials at the movie theater at the next Pixar movie? What about saving your money (granted it would take a lot) and buying space on the box of Fruity Pebbles Cereal? Too expensive? Take some time to think about what you can do to reach kids in your community where they are.
Apple is using the homemade video of an 18-year-old kid on YouTube to reach their audience. What can you do?
Reports are surfacing that Apple fired 800 Apple Store retail associates who cashed in on the $100 iPhone credit on the phones Apple gave them for free in the first place. Back when the iPhone launched, people that were employed by Apple for over a year were promised and delivered a free iPhone. 800 of these people decided to cash in on the $100 rebate offer.
Good for Apple. They have guts. The easiest thing for the corporates at Apple would have been to waffle or bury their head under the rug. After all, this massive firing took place in the peek of their busy season. But they dealt with the problem and sent a strong message to their other employees.
This is the confession of someone who hates confrontation. Normally Type-A people don’t dread confrontation, they are fueled by it! Not this one. I have never liked confrontation. This story has reminded me of the importance of dealing with problems and not burying my head under the covers while hoping they go away.
If you’re in ministry, you’re going to have people problems and conflict. Conflict develops because in ministry we are dealing with people every day. Here are eight ways to deal with problems right now.
1. Identify it. You cannot solve anything if you don’t know what the problem is.
2. Make sure you’ve identified the real problem, not a rumor of another problem.
3. Talk to people you trust. Gather as much information as you can.
4. Decide what to do. There may be more than one course of action.
5. Keep in touch with leadership. I’m talking about your pastor, your board, etc.
6. Make a decision.
7. Choose your plan. What are you going to do with this decision?
8. Be the Rock of Gibraltar and don’t move. Execute the plan.
The Barna Group released a new study today that says most people take the Bible at face value. Here’s what they said:
Americans may be skeptical about the claims of politicians, but they remain confident that some of the most amazing stories in the Bible can be taken at face value. A new nationwide survey conducted by The Barna Group shows that six well-known Bible stories are accepted as literal truth by an average of two out of three adults.
Read the entire article.
Here’s something cool you may not have heard of. Nicholas Negroponte (Founder and Chairman of One Laptop Per Child) wants to get a XO laptop computer to every child around the globe. Why? He understands that computers are both a window and a tool… a window into the world and a tool with which to think.
You can donate $200 (just click the donate button on their website) and you will provide a laptop to a kid in a developing nation. If you want to wait until November 12, you can donate $399 and purchase two XO laptops — one that will be sent to empower a child to learn in a developing nation, and one that will be sent to your child at home. (A remarkable marketing tool I might add.)
Great work Nicholas. May your dream come true.
The wheels have been turning at KidzMatter. If you haven’t heard, we are launching a magazine. The image on the left is one of the early comps from our art director. The first issue of K! Magazine (January / February 2008) will drop in the mail mid-to-late December.
If you would have asked me a year ago if KidzMatter would be in the publishing business, I would have told you that it’s a dream, but it’s a long way down the road. Isn’t it something when God makes your dreams a reality - even quicker than you would ever expect? A few months ago on our way home from Sunday night church, I told Beth, “Tonight God told me to start a magazine.” I was expecting her to go, “what?!?!”. Her response was, “I thought the same thing this morning.” A few days later I told Evan Doyle, our technology director, “Evan, we’re starting a magazine.” I didn’t get a “what?!?!” from Evan, I got the blank stare. You know, that stare that says, “Did he just say what I think he said?”
Our team has been great the last few months. We’ve been busy hiring an art director, working with Electricurrent on branding and concept design, meeting with editors, and everything else that comes with launching a magazine.
Electricurrent (the cool people who do our web work) will be making some major revisions to KidzMatter.com to include tools and information about the magazine. However, these changes won’t take effect until later this fall. In the meantime, check out the temporary K! page to get the 411.
One of the coolest things about this new magazine is that it’s being created for children’s pastors by children’s pastors. Our editorial team are people that know kids and work with them. They are each culturally-current in their approach to children’s ministry.
Check out the web page about K! Magazine. There are advertising opportunities, writing opportunities and you can even subscribe.
I served on church staff with a friend of mine for a few years. We went to youth group together when we were teenagers. Robert went to ABWE candidate school and became an ABWE missionary. Since then he has married a great gal named Alejandra and they have been working in LA Country reaching Hispanics. This past Sunday was their first church service.
I was excited to get a phone call from Robert this week at my house. He wanted to tell me about their first kids church service. The two kids in this picture were part of that service. It warmed my heart to hear that they used some of the products that we had sent them from the KidzMatter store. The kids loved Will it Float, the songs on Worship Aid, and more.
Here’s part of what Robert had to say:
“Our Saturday outreach ministries during much of the year have helped to build up a core group in order to begin Sunday services. September 16th was our first Sunday worship service. Ten countries were represented! The building only holds 40 and there were 39 adults in attendance. We also had 11 children outside in junior church. It was a great beginning!
“The kids loved our first Sunday Adventure Club! My only disappointment was that we did not have more attend, but the kids are excited about inviting their friends next week. During the Bible lesson, they were asked, ‘Where do we find the story of creation in the Bible?’ and a little boy enthusiastically responded, ‘On the first page!’ It is a blessing to see these kids eagerly learning about God while their hearts are still tender. Thank you for praying.”
Please pray for my friends Robert & Alejandra Cupps as they attempt to reach Hispanic boys and girls in Los Angeles.
If you follow this blog, you know that a month ago I finally let my wife buy me an iPod for my birthday. I had been holding out for two years because every week there was a new rumor that Apple was only weeks away from launching a wide-screen iPod. The iPhone launched and I thought surely they won’t release a new iPod anytime soon that will compete with their new phone. I took the risk, got my iPod, and I think you know what happened. Steve Jobs announced the new wide-screen iPod (iPod Touch) one month later.
The point? I took a risk. Did it go the way I would have hoped? No. But that’s okay, I still have a nice iPod.
Growing leaders learn to take risks. Not stupid risks, like jeopardizing your entire annual budget on a lame idea that you haven’t talked to your pastor about. I am talking about an apparent risk. Sure, some people might think you’re losing your brain, but you realize it’s a lot more sane than sticking with the status quo.
Have a Macintosh? Have Mac OS X version 10.4? Then this is for you! The Way We See It is proud to announce version 1.0 of our Mac Dashboard widget. It won’t run on Windows yet (working on it!), but for the time being we are only offering a Mac version. It will download the latest posts from The Way We See It, and present them for reading. On the back of the widget (accessible by clicking the small letter i at the bottom-right of the widget), you can adjust article length.
Installation:
1. Download the widget below.
2. Unzip the file by double-clicking.
3. Install the widget in Dashboard by double clicking the wwsi_rss file. In the pop-up window, click “Install”.
4. When the Dashboard loads, click accept to keep the widget on your Dashboard.
5. There is no step 5.
Download
wwsi_rss.zip (604 KB)
Any questions? Leave a comment on this post. Limited support is available. Enjoy!
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After 30 years of serving on staff in the local church, 17 of those at the greatest church in the world (Church On The Move) under the greatest pastor in the world (Pastor Willie George) I am going full time with Jim Wideman Ministries. That’s right, you read correctly. My pastor is in agreement with this and I have his blessing. I’ll still base out of Tulsa and my family and I will still attend COTM. I believe this is God’s plan for my life and that I have a mandate from God to help other churches go to their next level of ministry. How am I going to do this? In 3 main ways:
1. Consulting- I’ve had the privilege of being exposed to every area of ministry in a local church in addition to leading one of America’s leading children’s ministries. I’m available for on-site consulting in any area you need help. Whether you want me to come in once or once a month, I want to help you gear up for growth and excellence. Special rates are available for multiple visits. If you need another perspective put me on your staff as a part-time employee.
2. Conferences & Training- I’m available to hold a Children’s Ministry Conference at your church as well as seminars on Time Management, Volunteer Recruiting, Leadership & Parenting.
3. Speaking at churches & conferences- Need a guest to challenge people to get involved, or to teach on the importance of children & the family. I’m available.
Contact me today at brojim@jimwideman.com or give my assistant Sheila a call @ (918) 477-2268 ext. 1. I’m now booking for the rest of 2007 & 2008 and I’d love to help you and your church.
Excited about the future,
Bro. Jim
My heart was heavy Tuesday when I heard that Jerry Falwell went home to be with Jesus. Though we never met he was always someone I admired and looked up to. People always ask me if my church (Liberty Baptist Church) is connected to Jerry Falwell because of our name, but it is not.
Today I was reading some of Dr. Falwell’s sermons on the Thomas Road Baptist Church website. This one touched my heart. The title of the sermon is Preaching to the Poor.
Here’s what he said, “…I believe that is one of the reasons God put His hand upon Thomas Road Baptist Church in our early days of existence. We had over 100 buses and faithful laymen who got up on cold, windy, snowy days to crank up old buses and drive all over Central Virginia to pick up children and bring them to this church. Most of these children were poor—some very poor—and they came from needy homes where parents were poor. They came from shacks, trailers, or inner city homes. Today, many of these children are serving Christ faithfully. I meet them all over America.
Continue reading ‘Dr. Falwell and bus kids’
