Mental Post-Its

Thoughts, Notes, and General Mental Mayhem


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Lessons From Disney

Last Monday, Brian White came to speak in staff meeting. He works in the mobile game department at Disney, and also spoke in our senior pastor track last year at The Orange Conference. I really enjoyed hearing about the inner workings of Disney and their cultural. He gave us some really valuable insight, and I thought I’d share it with you.

  1. You can’t fake enthusiasm. People can tell if you are being authentic or not.
  2. Insane talent is not enough. Be sure to play well with others.
  3. Failure can be tolerated, lack of judgement cannot. Failure can still be a path to success. If you’re failing, you probably aren’t trying very hard to make a difference. Lack of judgement is how you treat others or conduct yourself. Do others have to do damage control on your behalf?
  4. Think of art as a team sport. No one can be something big all on their own.
  5. Concentrate on psychographics, not demographics. Disney uses the word “guests” and not “customers.” And they create their experience around the Compass (Needs, Emotions, Stereotypes and Wants – North, East, South, West).
  6. Criticism alone is not valuable feedback. Always include a suggestion or solution.
  7. Focus is the key to organizational momentum. Bobby Iger, former CEO, says their focus is creativity, innovation and going into foreign markets. Examples: Shakespeare In Love vs. Pirates of the Caribbean. Shakespeare In Love was a great movie, but not near the marketing options. Pirates involves many of the staff, so they can rally around the same project.
  8. The guest experience is everyone’s responsibility. This is the thing that really matters. If you think this is beneath you or doesn’t effect you, you have the wrong mindset.

Of course, it was awesome to see all of this unpacked over two hours, but I hope you can still gain some insight from these notes. Now, let’s all go to Disney World for the object lessons!


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Different Drummer, Disney and Orange

Here is a reprint of a post I co-wrote for work about a really unique trip I recently went on.

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Recently, our friends at Different Drummer offered two of us Orange staffers a unique opportunity to spend time at Walt Disney Animation Studios with a group of amazing women in ministry from churches all across the country. These women had a variety of Orange experience, ranging from none to some to thinking Orange, which made for a lot of fun discussion. During our two-day visit, we were asked, “What is Orange?” many times. And every time we gave our answer, we would receive a thoughtful and puzzled response—”So, you don’t just work with children’s ministry?” or “I had no idea our church’s entire ministry staff could utilize Orange resources.” So, over the course of the next 36-hours, while experiencing Los Angeles and Disney Studios together, we set the record straight.

It was a wonderful whirlwind of a trip and during our brief stint as VIP’s, our little group of women still found plenty of time to chat. Our first stop was a private screening of the new Winnie the Pooh movie in its entirety and the first four minutes of The Lion King 3D, to be released in July and September, respectively. What great family movies! After the viewing, we were all able to discuss how Pooh and his friends showcase many qualities of a strong Christian family—love, trust and kindness—and do so in a cute and funny storyline. Next, we were off to the Walt Disney Animation Studios where we met with some of the directors, producers, writers and animation artists from the movie. What a unique experience to hear the background on planning, research, casting and implementation of a Disney movie. Several of them also shared their personal testimony and faith with us, and how that is lived out on the job at Disney. They have seen some very cool things happen as they pray for their coworkers.

A few of our other excursions included the opportunity to try our hand as the voiceover for Piglet, speak with an original Pooh animator who has a 50-year-plus career with Disney, tour the archive building with over 65 million sketches from all Disney films, and watch The Lion King animators at work. We even received our very own drawing to take home!

Overall, it was a fantastic behind-the-scenes look at one of the most recognizable companies in the world. We were delighted with the chance to educate those new to Orange, as well as encourage those currently incorporating the strategy. Additionally, it was inspiring for us to hear how these women were serving God and their communities. We definitely made some great friends! And hopefully, they are also now able to answer the question, “What is Orange?”

A big thanks once again to Different Drummer and Disney! And be sure to see Winnie the Pooh at your local theater July 15—it’s a movie the whole family will enjoy!


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God vs. Science – the conversation continues

Totally ripping this off another blog, but I thought it was well worth it! Don’t know if it’s true, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks, Jon!

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PROFESSOR: You are a Christian, aren’t you, son?
STUDENT: Yes, sir.
PROFESSOR: So, you believe in God?
STUDENT: Absolutely, sir.
PROFESSOR: Is God good?
STUDENT: Sure.
PROFESSOR: My brother died of cancer, even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn’t. How is God good, then? Hmm?
(Student was silent)
PROFESSOR: You can’t answer, can you? Let’s start again, young fella. Is God good?
STUDENT: Yes.
PROFESSOR: Is Satan good?
STUDENT: No.
PROFESSOR: Where does Satan come from?
STUDENT: From.. God.
PROFESSOR: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
STUDENT: Yes.
PROFESSOR: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it? And God did make everything. Correct?
STUDENT: Yes.
PROFESSOR: So who created evil?
(Student didn’t answer)
PROFESSOR: Is there sickness? Immortality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?
STUDENT: Yes, sir.
PROFESSOR: So, who created them?
(Student had no answer)
PROFESSOR: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son.. have you ever seen God?
STUDENT: No, sir.
PROFESSOR: Tell us if you have ever heard your God.
STUDENT: No, sir.
PROFESSOR: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God, for that matter?
STUDENT: No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.
PROFESSOR: Yet you still believe in Him?
STUDENT: Yes.
PROFESSOR: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, Science says your God doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?
STUDENT: Nothing. I only have my Faith.
PROFESSOR: Yes, Faith. And that is the problem Science has.
STUDENT: Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
PROFESSOR: Yes.
STUDENT: And is there such a thing as Cold?
PROFESSOR: Yes.
STUDENT: No, sir, there isn’t.
(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events)
STUDENT: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of Heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There was a pon-drop silence in the Lecture Theatre)
STUDENT: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
PROFESSOR: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?
STUDENT: You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light… But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and it’s called Darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, You would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?
PROFESSOR: So what is the point you are making, young man?
STUDENT: Sir, my point is, your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
PROFESSOR: Flawed? Can you explain how?
STUDENT: Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality. You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
PROFESSOR: If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes of course, I do.
STUDENT: Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going)
STUDENT: Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?
(The class was in uproar)
STUDENT: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?
(The class broke out into laughter)
STUDENT: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? .. No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable and Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures?
(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable)
PROFESSOR: I guess you’ll have to take them on Faith, son.
STUDENT: That is it, sir.. exactly! The link between man and God is Faith. That is all that keeps things alive and moving!
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That student was Albert Einstein.


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My 2011 Theme

Coming up with a theme for the year is a tradition my friends and I have done for the last few years. I really look forward to it, the process, and then looking back to see how it unfolded.

So, drum roll, please….

Word:
“Prioritize”

Now, let me explain….
I chose “prioritize” because I tend to get sidetracked pretty easily. Thanks, ADD. I am good at chasing rabbits down holes. So, I want to weed those other things out a bit better and focus. And I wanted a word to reflect both my personal and spiritual needs and goals for the year. The last couple years have been about being obedient and enlightened to this thing I now know as missional community. Everything else was in the background. While this is essentially not a bad thing, you all know I can be a bit of a workaholic, and that usually relates more to ministry than my actual full-time jobs. So, with priorities, I want it to pertain to the missional community but also my overall well-being. I need to be better at Sabbath. And my chiro, counselor and regular doctor have all told me over the course of the last year that I need to treat myself better and make me a priority. So, this is my attempt at that goal. And I chose “prioritize” over “priorities” because I wanted an action word.

Verse:
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Song:
“I Will Follow” by Chris Tomlin

Now, again, let me explain…
Funny enough, as the D’s know, this song was sung at Shannon Oaks on Sunday. It immediately struck me and I was pretty sure this would be it. I asked Chad after the service what the song was and he told me. So, I downloaded it and have been listening to it repeatedly. I feel like it encompasses the “head, heart, hand” aspect of spiritual living which I believe to be so important. And I think it still goes very well with “prioritize” on both levels. I’m really happy with it. After the church service, a woman came up and spoke to the D’s. She, like everyone else, tried to get me to move to SS. Uh, no. After she realized it was a futile attempt, she asked if she could say a blessing over me. Why, of course! Turns out she is the head of their prayer ministry, D told me later. Anyway, after meditating on what she said and the words of the song, they are very similar which I thought was another good sign. Margi and D, please thank Chad and the woman for me.

Give it a listen – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_04LdPV_Q


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Emergence Journey 2010

Hey, everyone!

This year’s trip will take place from Thursday, October 21 to Monday, October 25. We sincerely hope you will think and pray about this opportunity. We would love to have you be a part of this amazing experience. Please sign up by Friday, September 10. And please feel free to ask me or Mark if you …have any questions!

Emergence Dates 2010:
– Session 1 Training – Saturday, September 18 from 9 am till noon
– Session 2 Training – Wednesday, September 22 from 7-10 pm
– Session 3 Training – Saturday, September 25 from 9 am till noon
– Session 4 Training – Saturday, October 2 from 9 am till noon
– Session 5 Training – Saturday, October 16 from 9 am till noon
– Bonus session – Wednesday, October 20 from 7-10 pm (Team meets for prayer and final details.)

Trip dates – October 21-25

Please note:

1. The training is fun, informative and intense. You will have homework before and after each session. For the trip, the entire five days will be utilized so please make sure you don’t schedule anything else those days.

2. These trips are open to anyone wanting to participate, either at North Atlanta or outside it, single or married. If you know of anyone wanting to participate in this trip, you are welcome to pass this along to them. We only ask that you communicate two things. The first is that anyone who goes must be willing to be led by God’s Holy Spirit. The second is that the person must be willing to “act as Jesus” to those they come in contact with on the trip. These two things are vital to maintain the integity, mission and purpose of this trip. Anyone willing to adhere to these things may participate on the Emergence Journey!

3. This is the only trip we have planned for 2010. However, if you can not make either of these trips and can gather a few friends for a fall trip, we will absolutely consider another one.

You can find previous newsletters, a training summary and an FAQ sheet at http://www.createemergence.org. Please let us know if you have any questions or need more information.

We hope that you will prayerfully consider joining the Journey!
Kristi and Mark (and Daron from Texas)

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What is the Emergence Journey?
The Emergence Journey is unconventional in that it starts with no destination or persons in mind; therefore no “preplanning” is necessary. All of the preparation comes in team-building and self-awareness exercises. This trip evolves during the journey rather than starting at the destination. The opportunities and relationships that are often overlooked or passed up when schedules are set and destinations are planned are fully experienced here, allowing you to free your mind to the possibilities at hand. A random act of kindness and open heart are the only requirements. We allow the Holy Spirit to fill in the details. Additionally, we operate from loose guidelines to allow the trip to shift as needed. For instance, we travel back roads rather than interstates when possible and avoid eating at chain restaurants, making it easier to meet local people. We also build a Safety Net of Prayer, a list of people who are praying for us every hour that we are on the road. And finally, we avoid turning on the radio and using our cell phones if possible, utilizing time rather than killing it.

http://www.createemergence.org