Fortunes Begin with Ideas - Think and Grow Rich Tuesday 102423

Think & Grow Rich Tuesday

"Ideas are the beginning of all fortunes." - Napoleon Hill

What the Church Could Learn from Comic Con Part 1

For a few years, I have attended Comic Con San Diego. #sdcc  

2019 is no different. #sdcc2019

There are certain aspects of Comic Con that could teach the church a thing or two.  I am not saying that the church needs to change its principles.  On the contrary, I believe that the church could learn some lessons on how to engage both the public and its own flock.  With an open mind, some church leaders might be able to see beyond all of the cosplay and Dungeons & Dragons mixed in with the Avengers, anime and Stranger Things exclusive sneak peeks to discover some real marketing and engagement gems.

So, the master praised the dishonest manager for being clever. 

Yes, worldly people are more clever with their own kind than spiritual people are.

- Luke 16:8 (NCV)

Offer an Experience

Part of the lure of Comic Con is the overall experience that it offers fans of all kinds of interests.  The long lines to enter Hall H and the fan frenzy for the network and studio experiences throughout the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego are all part of the wave of fans and freaks seeking the ultimate fan experience during Comic Con.  There is a heightened sense of anticipation buzzing in the air.  There is an atmosphere of being in the present moment as well as being on your toes for any sudden surprises.

AT&T's Game Of Thrones Experience in Chicago, another example of an engaging experience for fans.

The church can learn something here.  How much build up and hype do we create with our outreach and promotions, even our advertising and marketing? 

Create a Sense of Community

Comic Con allows folks to interact on a wide variety of levels.  It lets the fans feel like they are part of a broader community than just being loyal and dedicated X-Men or Avengers fans.  Those attending Comic Con get caught up in this groundswell of being part of a larger community.  

• They share an experience.
• They sense total acceptance, whether costumed or not.
• They openly share where the freebies and worthwhile experiences are throughout the area.
• They feel like this experience could go on forever if possible.

When was the last time someone felt all of that in church?

I have been going to church for years, and I have been preaching for a while, too.  Yes, I get the typical "That was an on-fire sermon, Rev" and "You really touched my soul with that one, brother." But I have never heard or viewed church folks filled with the type of elation and jubilation that entry into the San Diego Convention Center provides Comic Con attendees.

Where We Need to Focus and Pray

When we learn to generate that type of experience and sense of community, we might be catching up with the cleverness of the "worldly people" Jesus mentioned in Luke 16:8.  

We need to gather as spiritual leaders of local denominations and houses of worship, and then pray over how much of an experience we provide through Sunday worship services and special events.  Included in that same prayer, we need to consider how much of an inclusive experience we offer visitors, guests and seekers.  We also need to check out what type of community we have created in our local churches.

Do people feel accepted and connected?

Once we purge the type of thinking that everyone outside of the church is demonized and needs to be exorcised by a priest with a crucifix, we might be able to stomach that Comic Con presents an opportunity for outreach.  It does not mean that the people who are a captive audience in line are beaten down with Bible verses until they cannot fathom any more.  It means that we might offer hotel concierge church marketing and outreach materials just in case some attendees ask about local worship services.  We might even talk with local wait staff at downtown eateries in case someone asks about worship services or Bible study. 

In Part 2, we will dive deeper into what else the church could glean from Comic Con 2019.

Match Your Works with the Word

Outreach is all about reaching out.

"I believe I never was more acceptable to my Master than when I was standing to teach those hearers in the open fields I now preach to ten times more people than I would if I had been confined to the churches." - George Whitefield







"Preach abroad. It is the cooping yourselves up in rooms that has dampened the work of God, which never was and never will be carried out to any purpose without going into the highways and hedges and compelling men and women to come in."- Jonathan Edwards







"Love your fellowmen, and cry about them if you cannot bring them to Christ. If you cannot save them, you can weep over them. If you cannot give them a drop of cold water in hell, you can give them your heart's tears while they are still in this body."
- C.H. Spurgeon

Support our outreach and evangelism efforts to reach the streets, touch the highways and byways, and share the Good News here, there and everywhere.

I Love My Neighbor!! Button by Lifepath08

Browse Christian Buttons

Starting Your Own Startup

Entrepreneurship is one of the only ways some folks will ever return to the workforce.

They do not have the skills.  They lack the education or experience necessary.  They are too old.  They are not equipped, not certified or not what the recruiters and headhunters are looking for in a qualified candidate.

Entrepreneurship may be their only immediate route.

Entrepreneurship may be their one and only hope.

Imagine what the recently released felon must say about his or her chances at landing the dream job.

Think about how the recovering addict fresh out of rehab.  How is he or she going to fit in with the sales and marketing team on the sixth floor?

Picture gramps who just got let go from industry leader who decided to" go in a new direction" after using him for the past twenty-five years.  He's not exactly the best bet or best fit for hiring firms as a Baby Boomer.

Some will say that you just don't have it.  They don't believe that you have it in you.

They don't feel what you feel or see what you see.

You have the knack for being in business.

You have the drive and motivation to start and stay in business.

You've got what it takes.

I found that the knack and drive to own your own business may require you to manage conflicts on your own or with your family.  You may be required to use your living room as a home office or shop for used furniture to outfit your new brick and mortar office space.  You can become your own boss.  You can give birth to your own dreams.

Promote entrepreneurship among our people who are struggling for another chance.  Give them a leg up.  Put them in touch with community banks and micro lenders.  Educate yourself on entrepreneurship.

As a freelance writer and consult, I benefit from the help, support and advice of others.  I gain a lot from online communities and social networks as well as multimedia sharing sites.  I use freelancing to supplement my primary income.  I use some of the top freelancing sites to get my words in print or online.

I understand what it takes to run a business.  I had to believe in myself.  I had to believe in my dreams.  I had do it by myself at times and with the help of others at other times.  I had become flexible and adaptable.  I had to make adjustments on the fly, too.

If you really want it, you can succeed at being in business.  If you believe in yourself more than you believe the words of your critics and the naysayers, you can have it.

Go on and stop waiting on others.

Start taking action.

Start your own startup business now.

Extreme Experiences of Edification

Key question: Have you built a ministry that builds up people to be better servants of the Lord?

Take your time.  Think about all of the people who serve under you.  Let things play back in your mind. 

We need people experiencing edification.  We need people being built up within our midst.  We need to get busy building folks up.

Why?

Their responsibility is to equip God's people

to do his work and build up the church,

the body of Christ.

- Ephesians 4:12 (NLT)

We are called to do so.  We have been commissioned to do so.  It is our calling.  Let us live up to it.

Give the people who come to you an extreme experience.  Offer an edifying experience.  Take people to the edge by standing on the cutting edge as opposed to the status quo.  Let people experience Christianity beyond the stuffy, Sunday morning sermonized Savior that seems so distant that He could not have possibly walked on earth.  Give them the real deal when you share about the Savior.  Show them the Jesus who saves.  Share the Jesus who sacrificed for the sinful.  Provide an opportunity to experience Jesus in spirit and in truth.

Look at some examples of radical Christianity. . .

Help for the Helpful

"Charity sees the need, not the cause."- German Proverb

You can raise money without a lot of fuss these days.  There are all sorts of grassroots methods that seem to fit perfectly with social networking and social media sites.  Post a video or add a widget to your site or blog, then watch people visit and even fund your projects.

What do you need?

First, you need a worthy cause.  Your project has to be connected to a cause.  It needs to be a cause that gets people excited or touches them right at their hearts and souls.  It should be the type of project that makes people feel like they can make a difference. 

Secondly, you need to make your project easy to fund.  Make it seamless.  Make it almost effortless.  You fund projects via text message today.  That makes it real easy.  There are sites that offer you help and support, even tools, to raise money for worthy projects and these make it easy for both you and your donors.

Here are some sites that may be of some help:
http://www.gofundme.com/
http://www.chipin.com/
http://www.kickstarter.com/

Rethink Your Business

"Know why your business matters." - Bob Briner, The Management Methods of Jesus

If you are in business, you need to know why your business matters.

In fact, you need to know why your business matters to God.  You need to see how your business fits into God's plan.

Think back.  Let your mind run free to the time when you imagined going into business for yourself and before you started your business.  Think about the purpose and intent for your business.  Jot down those ideas and memories.  Record them for yourself.

Take a good look at what you have written down.

Look at the kingdom potential of your business.  How could your business expand or enhance the kingdom of God? Did God inspire you to start your business? How does God and His Word fit into your business plans?

Here are some ways to revisit your business:

• Go to God's Word.  See what God has to say.
• Pray to God.  Hear from God on the matter of business.
• Seek godly counsel.  Talk with your pastor.  Join a Christian business roundtable or network.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. - Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NASB)

Build Your Biz with a Buzz

The average business needs to generate a buzz.

How do you get the attention of potential customers or clients today?


Marketing?
Publicity?

Advertising?

Promotions?

Good press?

Media coverage?

Consider all of the above and more.  Get connected through social media and social networking.  Build more than a website.  Create some online profiles on sites such as LinkedIn and industry web portals.  Make the most of your online presence.

Don't just make the most of it.  Make the most money that you can from it with storefronts, affiliate programs, and Google AdSense.  Write articles for online magazines, article directories, and newsletters in your industry.  Create a blog about your business.  Make your online ventures profitable and prosperous as well as profound and promotional.  You will see that you can offer more to your potential customers and clients by the more information that share through various platforms online and otherwise.

Look for a personalized gift at Zazzle.