My Three Favorite Superbowl Commercials

Yesterday I posted about watching the big game for the commercials. Well I have to admit, the game got pretty spectacular toward the end as well but on the subject of telling a better story there were three ads that I saw that really told a better story. Three that really touched the heart and I thought I would post them here. The first was a remaking of a message from one of America’s greatest story teller’s Paul Harvey. The folks at Dodge decided to use it to pay tribute to one of the hardest working groups of people who use their products. This one hit home with me for a couple of reasons. I have a son who is a farmer (and who drives a Dodge truck I might add) and while I am not a farmer, I have been welcomed into a family of farmers and this was an amazing tribute. The ad unashamedly mentioned God and you can’t go wrong with Paul Harvey.

Jeep spent millions to pay tribute to service men and women. They barely mentioned their own product in the ad which is ordinarily an advertising no-no, but this was more than just an ad. It was a way of honoring some folks who were doing tough stuff thousands of miles from their loved ones while we sat around and watched football. I have no doubt that it helped Jeep’s brand anyway. Regardless of how you feel about our military involvements and the politics behind them, this ad was a text book case of how to tell a story of appreciation and gratitude, something at which we could all be a little better.

As an ex-drunk, it’s tough for me to endorse a beer commercial but my word, the folks at Budweiser do know how to tug at our heart strings. This commercial tells a beautiful story and when it was over, my wife and I looked at each other and said Awww.

I post these three ads as examples of what it means to tell a better story. They were all short, to the point and they all hit home. They are textbook cases for how to tell a real and meaningful story to a generation that has everything but time and an attention span. As we go to communicate our message, we can learn a lot from these three pieces. We need to say what we have to say, clearly and concisely, quickly touching hearts and minds. Like these ads, we hope our stories open the door to a larger, longer conversation, but as we vie for the world’s limited attention, we need to be creative and concise.

How can yoiu create something that will grab attention and touch hearts and minds? It’s something to consider.

The Super Bowl

I know what does this have to do with art and ministry, well not a lot but these folks sure know how to put on a spectacle. None of my teams are playing, so I can just enjoy the game whoever wins which is kind of nice. Beyonce is doing the halftime show and I’m sure there will be spectacle there as well, and while she is really talented, it’s not my style. So all in all, it’s a nice evening at home with the family.

In a game like this, where the outcome is not too important to me, like many other Americans, I appreciate the game, but I watch for the commercials.

What strikes me is the amount of money these companies were willing to spend and the creativity invested in getting their message out.

I know none of you have that kind of budget, (if you do, please contact me, I could really use someone to underwrite my speaking ministry ) but it occurs to me that we have a better message than any of these companies and a command from God to get it out. We may not have the budget (though our Father does own the cattle on a thousand hills) but we do have the creativity. This year how will you invest your creativity in getting his message out.

Here’s a challenge. Make a 30 second video that tells people about Jesus. Be creative, put it on Youtube, and promote it. Tell the story.

By the way the Doritos commercial with the dad and his little girl is a classic.

By the way, here’s a Superbowl ad made by a church.

Tell a Better Story with Your Tip

There was this guy and he and some friends, probably quite a few friends, went to his hometown Appleby’s and ran up a pretty large bill. When it came time to pay the check, there was a gratuity, a tip already added. Most restaurants do that with large groups.

Instead of just paying the bill, this guy wrote on the check, “I only give God 10% why should I give you 18?”, crossed out the gratuity and wrote in 0 and signed it Pastor so and so. Now I’ll be the first one to confess, I think that was a terrible thing to do, maybe even stupid. I have a huge problem with this guy’s tactics and an even worse problem with the fact that he put his greed and his lack of generosity on Jesus. Did you forget we are supposed to make Jesus look good, especially when we sign our names with Pastor or Reverend? Thanks for helping to advance the cause buddy.

Now in the old days, this would have made Christians look bad to one person and that’s bad enough but now we have Instagram. Now the people we slight can tell the world and that’s what this server did and the story went viral. You know viral as in spread like a disease. Now to be clear I don’t have a problem with this guy being called on his bad behavior and I have a huge problem with the fact that the guy turned around and got the server fired later in the week. But in the story I read, it went on to talk about how Christians are the cheapest group of people out there. One jerk doesn’t tip and all the billions in charity we do every year are forgotten.

The story revealed the bias. There is a huge bias against Christians out there. In a world where every form of bigotry is frowned upon, as it should be, bigotry against Christians is still quite acceptable. I mean lets say this guy didn’t bother to write the whole thing about the tithe and sign his name pastor. Does this story make the news? No and even if it does, we might start to ask questions like “Well did he get lousy service?” “Was the waiter rude or incompetent?” Maybe even “Why do I have to help the restaurant owner meet his responsibility to pay his employees and living wage?” But add a message about the tithe and sign your name pastor and it’s okay to lump us all together and call us cheap? I don’t think so and they wouldn’t get away with doing this to any other group. There’s a bias against Christians out there and it’s huge.

Okay we all know that to be true, the question is, what are we going to do about it? I think a couple things tell a better story. First, tip well. It’s all going to burn so use it to show your appreciation to someone who is working hard for his/her money. Second, be overly kind and polite. Don’t over react at a mistake and be gracious. Compliment good service and be supportive of people who are getting grief from others. Third if you’re going to give a tract make it a positive, uplifting one, accompany it with an even larger tip. I know the Gospel is valuable, your server may not, but if it is accompanied by an immensely generous blessing, it’ll go a lot further, because it shows you care. Lastly, if you’ve been a jerk, keep your tract! Jesus should not be associated with jerkiness.

Lastly keep this in mind, you don’t know what your server is going through. They don’t control the policy of the restaurant or the prices or the quality of the food. They get dumped on for a lot of things that are beyond their control. A little love, grace and kindness can go a long way.

To the pastor in this story, this is not how we represent Jesus. That you got this person fired is wrong and you should find a way to make this right. Just sayin’

What Does It Mean to Speak the Truth In Love?

I just got done reading a very uncomfortable short story–A story about Christians interacting with people with whom they disagree. It was written from the other person’s point of view and I have to admit it got to me. It hasn’t shaken my views on right or wrong or the truth of the Word or my faith at all, but it did make me question how I express my views and my faith to those with whom I disagree. The Bible instructs us to speak the truth in love. What does that mean to you? If I want to be honest I wrestle with it. Sometimes my truth lacks love and sometimes love makes me want to sugarcoat the truth. Neither of those positions is correct. Truth without love is often mean and hurtful, a weapon. Love without truth is a lie and if it’s a lie, can it really be love.

Lord help us all to tell our stories and do our work and live our lives guided by your Spirit, mindful of where others are at and yet holding to Your truth.

God’s truth is right and perfect, it’s we who corrupt it. What does it mean to speak the truth in love?

This Year, How Will You Tell His Story?

As we approach a new year, especially as we look back over 2012, one thing should be abundantly clear. This world needs the Gospel. God has called uas and gifted us for a reason. We creatives need to be using everything God has given us to introduce the world to its savior.

You just watched one artist’s effort to share the Gospel. In 2013, How will you use your gift to tell His story?

He Came…

Just one more reminder for the season…

Your Story

My coach, Craig, says that sometimes you find a business book that you have to baptize because it holds incredible principles that can be applied to the church. I am just starting one such book right now.

It’s called Winning the Story Wars: Why Those Who Tell (and Live) the Best Stories Will Rule the Future
by Jonah Sachs. I’m just through the prologue and I can already see the benefit coming out of it for ministry. As you know, one of the main admonitions of this web site is for Creative Christians to tell (and live!) a better story. It should be easy for us. To live in this world and follow Jesus is to struggle. Much of the world system runs contrary to what followers of Jesus know to be true and we are faced with a choice, give in and follow, hiding the light of the world under a bushel if not snuffing it out or we can rise up, appearing vastly outnumbered, but with an unseen power, and conquering with love. The first is the journey of most people, the second is the journey of the hero and isn’t that the core of every great story.

Think about it, one who looks like an underdog, looks at a broken system, sees someone in need of help and rises up to make a difference, often at great personal sacrifice, sometimes even the supreme sacrifice. In the process, the hero reveals a power from within to overcome and a love greater than fear and danger and victory rises from defeat like a phoenix from the flames. That’s the core of every great story isn’t it. It’s the story of a hero. Look more closely. It’s the story of Jesus.

Friends we need to tell that story and we need to live that story. Compromise with this world’s system may make life easier, but you’ll never be a hero, and if you’re not living heroically you’re not following the one after whom all great heroes are patterned.

What kind of story are you living? It’s not too late for a rewrite. Find the things that strike your passions, the causes that affect you greatly, turn them over to Jesus and start speaking the truth in love to the situation. Determine in Christ to live heroically in this story. Determined that the status quo cannot stand and make a difference to the glory of God. You can’t do it alone, but you serve the one for whom all things are possible.

You’re aligned with the ultimate hero, we already know He wins, stand with Him. Live a better story, follow your hero.

What’s your story?

A Week of Stories

Well I am on vacation this week and I am having a great time. In preparation for this year’s new program, Story, I am spending a lot of time enjoying great stories. In addition to reading the parables of Jesus, I’ve been enjoying some work by modern and classic storytellers. Here’s some of what I’ve been checking out:

I finished reading Winning the Story Wars by Jonah Sachs. This is a marketing book that looks at stories and how to use them to spread your message. While this is a business book and not a Christian book, there are a lot of principles in this book that could be applicable to the ways we communicate the Gospel and promote our ministries.

I watched the movie Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. This amazing film deals with the idea of manipulating people by manipulating their dreams. It is really action-packed, and a movie you really have to pay attention to. I absolutely loved this movie and it helped me to see how to handle mulltiple storylines simultaneously.

One of my Christmas gifts was the movie, The Avengers. As a cartoonist/comic artist, I’ve always had a thing for comic books and comic movies and this is a great one. Imagine bringing many superheroes, not to mention super egos, back stories, etc. and you have a recipe for some great conflict (an essential element in every great story). These heroes would probably destroy each other, were they not drawn together by a common threat, forcing them to join forces to save the world.

Just before vacation, I received a notice on Facebook that a publishing company was releasing C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy for the Kindle at a discount. I never even realized that this series existed, but it’s wonderful. I read the first book Out of the Silent Planet in about two days. It’s a great read typical of Lewis’ allegorical storytelling. I downloaded the whole trilogy for $6 and it is worth a lot more. I’m two chapters into the second book Perelandra, and it is showing signs of being as good as the first one. Don’t miss this series.

This morning I caught a matinee of The Hobbit. This is a fabulously well-made film that NEEDS to be seen on the big screen. Peter Jackson takes some liberties with the original text, it is a wonderful interpretation. I’m told this is the firt of three movies, and all I can say is I can’t wait for the second installment.

Still to come this week, Lord willing, are The Amazing Spiderman and the film version of Les Miserables. I can’t wait.

Tell a Better Story: Brad Stine

Brad Stine is a stand up comic who makes a lot of sense. In recent days people have been talking a lot about gun control and a whole bunch of other things that they want to do all based around trying to fix our society. If I thought for even a second it would work I’d be first in line, but it won’t. The break in our society is much deeper than all that. Listen to this clip of Brad Stine (especially around 3:10)

Without God all we can do is flail around blindly trying to fix the external things. The need is much deeper.

Stine uses humorous rants to draw attention to the needs of our society. How will you use your gifts to address the things that are on your heart?

Merry Christmas

My friends Michelle Anderson posted this to my wall. For the record, I didn’t paint it, but I wish I had. It’s from one of the really great comedy/storytelling teams out there, The Skit Guys. It’s called Come Thou Long Expected Jesus. I pray it encourages you as we celebrate the wonderful gift of our savior, Jesus Christ!