Category Archives: media
‘you are loved!’ campaign
In a recent study of mine, I rediscovered the essential element of LOVE as the main ingredient for evangelism. I often hand out and speak out the gospel but rarely take time to listen, to share of my time, energy, and money. We can’t just speak the truth and expect people to listen – we must speak it “in love.” And the truth is…
“People don’t care how much you know
until they know how much your care.”
This simple campaign has been burning in my heart for some time – and, thanks to the prodding of a pastor-friend, we are finally launching it this week. Here at LBC, we’re calling it ‘Love Weeks.’ The idea is simple: Showing love in practical ways by sharing time & money with our community. We definitely want out message to be heard (don’t you?), but it all-too-often falls on deaf ears because that’s what exactly the way we treat the world!
RESOURCES AVAILABLE: Card Template / Alternate Design / Campaign Details
We got our cards professionally printed at www.Mi-Cards.com – like a shiny gift card & they look good! [photo]
Feel free to use this material however you would want, but here’s what we did…
How It Works:
Every adult gets at least one card. Let’s say a lady takes the card home to reach out to her lost neighbors. Hopefully, she will do something really nice for them—but not tell them that she did it… just leaving the ‘you are loved!’ card so they will know why she did it! There’s a place on the back to write your name… the goal is not necessarily to be anonymous – but to be humble. There is no minimum or maximum gifts. We will tally up all donated time and money for a grand total at the end of the two weeks. (Our ready-to-print PDF Instruction Sheet)
IDEAS & EXAMPLES:
Sharing Your Time:
1. Make an entire meal (dessert included) and drop it off at a neighbors house with the card—also works for shut-ins and elderly!
2. Mow and weed your neighbors yard without warning & tape the card to their front door!
3. Offer to babysit some children so the parents can have a date night (and don’t take any money)!
4. Offer your skills at the local nursing / retirement homes (mechanical, carpentry, plumbing)!
5. Create a gift box for our local active military!
Sharing Your Money:
6. Buy the meal of the car behind you in the fast food drive-thru (even if it’s a family)!
7. Leave your waitress a huge tip ($20 and the card) – also works with a pizza delivery man!
8. Swipe your card at the pump for another car and say, “Filler Up!” (Start with compact cars first.)
9. Give a gift-card to a public servant or pastor!
10. Buy a ‘spiritual gift’ for someone who needs it!
2012: A Year of Hope
Does your church use an annual theme? Our church has chosen 2012 to focus on HOPE! I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a hopeless generation… teenagers, marriages, and even churches. Our God is the “God of Hope” (Rom. 15:13). Jesus Christ saved us to be a hopeful people (1 Pet. 1:3, 13). So let us pray the prayer of David: Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Psalm 43:5 > Other resources: 2012 “Hope in God” Music Video [YouTube] | Bible-size Calendar [PDF] | Bulletin Shells [PDF]
Ideas from our past… (links to more free graphics, banners, bulletins)
2011 – Changed by Jesus (sunrise, butterfly)
2010 – Making a Difference (seasons, tree)
2009 – Grow in Grace (green vectors)
2008 – Now More Than Ever (hourglass, black)
2007 – A Touch of Heaven (lighthouse, sky)
2006 – Here Am I (prophet, parchment)
2005 – Go Forward (digital, compass)
2004 – For Such a Time as This (vintage clock)
2003 – Walking Worthy (path in forest)
2002 – Charting the Course (nautical symbols)
Other Ideas for Annual Themes:
Anointed (Luke 4:18)
Radical (rooted – Col. 2:7)
Refresh
Fall in Love with Jesus
Church Still Works!
The Light of the World (and more)
Anointed
I can’t get this verse out of my heart (from Isaiah 61:1 & Luke 4:18). What if we did ministry according to the commission of Christ?
Radical
Radical: of or going to the root or origin; fundamental
(for example - plant: radish; chemistry: free radical; math: radical number; latin: radicalis)
Open House Sunday
Spring and Fall are great times of the year to have an Open House Sunday. Many churches open their doors wide and roll out the proverbial red carpet on that day. Successful Open House Sundays are the fruit of a two-pronged approach: outreach & hospitality. Although those themes are not unusual and ought to be a regular part of ministry, a special Sunday offers its membership the opportunity to really focus on these two things.
OUTREACH:
- Personally inviting friends, relatives, & neighbors (nothing works better than personal contact)
- Enlist members and organize a nightly outreach ‘blitz’ each week-night before the big day
- Postcard / Mailer to your neighborhood or zip code featuring this one special day’s events (download all three)
- Advertise in your local media: newspaper, radio, or TV
HOSPITALITY:
- Enlist and train a team of Greeters (station them in the parking lot, at the door, and in the building)
- Enlist a Connection Team to engage each guest in conversations (even to sit with/near them)
- Prepare a Gift (spiritual or home-made) for each guest that you can give to them as they leave
- Follow Up is crucial (send a 36-hour email, a 72-hour postcard/letter, and give them a survey visit)
**Train yourself to consider ‘visitors’ as guests… as if you were setting a place for them at your table. **Hospitality is a Scriptural. Find members in your church with that gift & ask for their help! **When guests step in your door, do they feel as if they’re welcomed into the greatest family in the world? **Determine to settle for nothing less than 5-star friendliness (not just friendly-by-default). **Make the most of Pivotal Moments: Surveys say the time they walk from their car until the service starts & the time it takes them to get to their car are the two most important (memorable) experiences of your guests.
Here are a few ideas for your outreach (postcard): 
Download the Layered PSD Source File (56mb, all 3 concepts)
Changed by Jesus
We’re calling 2011 “The Year of the Testimony” at LBC! Watch the weekly testimonies online. We invite you to submit your testimony of Christ’s Transforming Power in your life (please include these 3 points: 1. What your life was like before Christ; 2. How you came to be saved; 3. What your life is like now that you’ve been Changed by Jesus).
Downloads: Desktop Background, 2011 Calendar, PSD file
Slick, New ‘iPod’ Tract
We’re excited to announce the release of a new gospel tract… one that you can totally customize! It’s not only attractive (featuring the new iPod touch outside), but it’s also powerful (it’s got the power of God unto salvation inside). With about 300 million iPods now in the hands of consumers, this tract relates to almost everyone – but especially the youth. We have issued several versions of this tract (in case you don’t want to mess with editing) to help you get these in the hands of your church & the community as quick-and-easy as possible. The back is totally ‘blank’ for you to add your own information, if desired. Get the PDF [2mb]. Get the PSD [15mb]. Get free customization by shooting me an email: patchnix@gmail.com Click to enlarge:
Sample Outside:
Sample Inside:
Blank front & back // Sample idea with church info:
Other ‘iPod’ tracts:
original 1st-gen tract (Stephen Snider, designer)
3-panel youth tract (source unknown)
“refresh” your media ministry
Many thanks to Pastor Brad Smith of Calvary Chapel Baptist Church for sharing his church’s fantastic theme … and Congrats for winning the graphics package. Here is a sample that just might help refresh your media ministry (click to download)… In addition, get the PSD file [12mb] of the wallpaper, the 2011 Bible-sized calendar (PDF), and a new tract (PDF). As always, layered source files are available for free to churches & ministries.
