Creative Bites
92 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 7 ratingsThe Creative Bites podcast is focused on helping pastors and creatives understand each other better so they can serve their church better. Join me as I break down Church Communication into bit sized ideas so you spend less time worrying about comm and more time ministering to your congregation.
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Episodes
Clarity Tools: PEST Analysis
August 09, 2019 09:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBThis week, we continue our Tools for Clarity series by looking at the PEST analysis. Some of the tools in this series might be difficult to visualize in your mind, so I’ve put together examples of each tool that you can use in your context on my website. Head to mcurtis.co/clarity to find worksheets for each tool as each episode is released. What is a PEST Analysis a formalized way of thinking through different parts of your organization The basic analysis is broken into four categories ...
Clarity Tools: SWOT Analysis
August 02, 2019 10:00 - 13 minutes - 9.24 MBThis week, we begin our Tools for Clarity series. We are going to start our series off with the SWOT analysis. Some of the tools in this series might be difficult to visualize in your mind, so I’ve put together examples of each tool that you can use in your context on my website. Head to mcurtis.co/clarity to find worksheets for each tool as each episode is released. What is a SWOT Analysis a formalized way of thinking through different parts of your organization The analysis is broken in...
Clarity Tools: SWOT Analysis | ep19
August 02, 2019 10:00 - 13 minutes - 9.24 MBThis week, we begin our Tools for Clarity series. We are going to start our series off with the SWOT analysis. Some of the tools in this series might be difficult to visualize in your mind, so I’ve put together examples of each tool that you can use in your context on my website. Head to mcurtis.co/clarity to find worksheets for each tool as each episode is released. What is a SWOT Analysis a formalized way of thinking through different parts of your organization The analysis is broken in...
The Case for Clarity
July 26, 2019 10:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBThis week, I to talk about the importance of clarity in you day to day. I believe that a lack of clarity is the most reliable way to fail. Most of the time we are quick to blame leadership for a lack of clarity, but there are things we can do to cultivate clarity regardless of our place in the organization. Over the next few episodes, I’ll be going through different tools that I have found to be incredibly helpful for adding clarity within my area of influence, and they’ve even helped add ...
The Case for Clarity | ep18
July 26, 2019 10:00 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBThis week, I to talk about the importance of clarity in you day to day. I believe that a lack of clarity is the most reliable way to fail. Most of the time we are quick to blame leadership for a lack of clarity, but there are things we can do to cultivate clarity regardless of our place in the organization. Over the next few episodes, I’ll be going through different tools that I have found to be incredibly helpful for adding clarity within my area of influence, and they’ve even helped add ...
The Organizational Hero
July 19, 2019 11:00 - 22 minutes - 15.8 MBWhat an Organizational Hero is not. You stay late to complete a project every so often. You work a lot of hours over a short period of time because of an high-impact season Let’s say summer camp, Christmas, a major outreach promotion. You work really hard You feel like you can do a better job at something than someone else You take pride in your work What an Organizational Hero is. Essentially, the Organizational Hero is the extreme case of these tendencies. You stay late to compl...
The Organizational Hero | ep17
July 19, 2019 11:00 - 22 minutes - 15.8 MBWhat an Organizational Hero is not. You stay late to complete a project every so often. You work a lot of hours over a short period of time because of an high-impact season Let’s say summer camp, Christmas, a major outreach promotion. You work really hard You feel like you can do a better job at something than someone else You take pride in your work What an Organizational Hero is. Essentially, the Organizational Hero is the extreme case of these tendencies. You stay late to compl...
Don't Be Too Efficient | ep16
July 12, 2019 12:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBTypes of imbalance Church of Chaos (not efficient) Things take longer, and its quite possible that staff is struggling to keep up with all of the things that need to get done. Not because there are too many things, but because each thing is taking too long. Everything is running inefficiently. Church of Improvement Scale demands efficiency. And so, the process to make things efficient begins. Things like facilities, communications, productions, and even some high level ministry pr...
Don't Be Too Efficient
July 12, 2019 12:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBTypes of imbalance Church of Chaos (not efficient) Things take longer, and its quite possible that staff is struggling to keep up with all of the things that need to get done. Not because there are too many things, but because each thing is taking too long. Everything is running inefficiently. Church of Improvement Scale demands efficiency. And so, the process to make things efficient begins. Things like facilities, communications, productions, and even some high level ministry pr...
Seven Simple Ways to Grow | ep15
July 05, 2019 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBSeven Simple ways you can get better at your job. Show up on time When you show up on time, you begin to cultivate a reputation of being dependable If you are regularly late, people will filter what you say through their perception of you. This usually frustrates people. The good news, however, is that you can easily avoid this problem all together by showing up on time. Choose to grow in your discipline. Set alerts on your computer, phone, watch, shoes, whatever has notifications o...
Seven Simple Ways to Grow
July 05, 2019 11:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBSeven Simple ways you can get better at your job. Show up on time When you show up on time, you begin to cultivate a reputation of being dependable If you are regularly late, people will filter what you say through their perception of you. This usually frustrates people. The good news, however, is that you can easily avoid this problem all together by showing up on time. Choose to grow in your discipline. Set alerts on your computer, phone, watch, shoes, whatever has notifications o...
The Problem of Preference | ep14
June 28, 2019 14:00 - 20 minutes - 9.34 MBSix ways personal preference destroys your organization. Preference fuels division Someone wins, someone loses People become jealous when an idea you pitch gets approved People get disappointed when their ideas aren’t approved It becomes my idea vs. your idea - you vs. me we throw out ideas because of who they come from, not based on the caliber of the idea itself. People get labeled as “bad sources” and are functionally silenced Tribes begin to develop within the staff (and often...
The Problem of Preference
June 28, 2019 14:00 - 20 minutes - 9.34 MBSix ways personal preference destroys your organization. Preference fuels division Someone wins, someone loses People become jealous when an idea you pitch gets approved People get disappointed when their ideas aren’t approved It becomes my idea vs. your idea - you vs. me we throw out ideas because of who they come from, not based on the caliber of the idea itself. People get labeled as “bad sources” and are functionally silenced Tribes begin to develop within the staff (and often...
What Multisite Means for You
June 21, 2019 11:00 - 23 minutes - 10.7 MBThe approach to multi-site ministry has evolved over the years. In a lot of ways, there aren’t any clear methodologies that we can identify because each church tends to Frankenstein together their own approach based on their ministry goals. Often the primary direction of multisite isn’t clear to the staff because leadership allows the model to unfold. I’ve heard numerous stories of a particular model of multisite being pursued for years only to have everything changed–or in some cases, entir...
What Multisite Means for You | ep13
June 21, 2019 11:00 - 23 minutes - 10.7 MBThe approach to multi-site ministry has evolved over the years. In a lot of ways, there aren’t any clear methodologies that we can identify because each church tends to Frankenstein together their own approach based on their ministry goals. Often the primary direction of multisite isn’t clear to the staff because leadership allows the model to unfold. I’ve heard numerous stories of a particular model of multisite being pursued for years only to have everything changed–or in some cases, entir...
Branded House Case Study | ep12
June 14, 2019 18:00 - 20 minutes - 9.46 MBThis week we are going to finish our conversation on branding. If you haven’t listened to part 1 of this conversation, hit pause and go listen to part one. This week we will reference a case study on mcurtis.co that works through the transition from a house of brands to a branded house. What does a strong church brand do? It delivers on the promise of growing people in their walk with Christ If you have an event, it moves people toward growth It helps clarify pathways for spiritual g...
Branded House Case Study
June 14, 2019 18:00 - 20 minutes - 9.45 MBThis week we are going to finish our conversation on branding. If you haven’t listened to part 1 of this conversation, hit pause and go listen to part one. This week we will reference a case study on mcurtis.co that works through the transition from a house of brands to a branded house. What does a strong church brand do? It delivers on the promise of growing people in their walk with Christ If you have an event, it moves people toward growth It helps clarify pathways for spiritual g...
Weekly Quest | No.3
June 10, 2019 11:00 - 44 seconds - 363 KBSchedule a meeting with someone just to see how they are doing. Take them to coffee, go to lunch, or just chat with them at work. Focus the conversation on them, not on you. Listen more than you talk. By getting to know how others are doing, you force yourself to recognize that other people are going through things as well. Burnout is telling you that your life is worse than everyone else’s. It’s a lie. As you hear from others, you are warring against the lies burnout is telling you.
What is a Church Brand? | ep11
June 07, 2019 18:00 - 21 minutes - 9.99 MBChurch branding has become a more popular than ever. But what exactly is it? What is a brand? Start by what it isn’t: - it isn’t a logo - It isn’t a product - It isn’t your most successful ministry - It isn’t the quality of your outreach A brand is made up of those things, but at the end of the day, a brand is the entirety of someone’s perception of you from their perspective. This perception is what drives how someone decides to behave. Sometimes this gets abstract, so let me share some...
What is a Church Brand?
June 07, 2019 18:00 - 21 minutes - 9.99 MBChurch branding has become a more popular than ever. But what exactly is it? What is a brand? Start by what it isn’t: - it isn’t a logo - It isn’t a product - It isn’t your most successful ministry - It isn’t the quality of your outreach A brand is made up of those things, but at the end of the day, a brand is the entirety of someone’s perception of you from their perspective. This perception is what drives how someone decides to behave. Sometimes this gets abstract, so let me share some...
Weekly Quest | No.2
June 03, 2019 11:00 - 35 seconds - 299 KB1. Write down one thing you are thankful for at the end of each day. 2. Keep adding to the list every day. 3. Re-read your list as it builds. 4. At the end of the week, thank God for the good things that have existed in your week. By identifying that there are good things happening in your life, you are warring against the lies of burnout.
Leading Effective Change
May 31, 2019 18:00 - 10 minutes - 4.94 MBYou can lead change regardless of the role you are in. Start within your proficiency If you aren't leading effectively within your own area of influence, you typically won't be invited to contribute to areas outside of your influence Identify who needs to know what, when Some people will be scared by change Some people will be hurt by change Some people will help support the change Connect the dots between what you want to accomplish with the mission of the church. Have a strong argu...
Leading Effective Change | ep10
May 31, 2019 18:00 - 10 minutes - 4.95 MBYou can lead change regardless of the role you are in. Start within your proficiency If you aren't leading effectively within your own area of influence, you typically won't be invited to contribute to areas outside of your influence Identify who needs to know what, when Some people will be scared by change Some people will be hurt by change Some people will help support the change Connect the dots between what you want to accomplish with the mission of the church. Have a strong argu...
Weekly Quest | No.1
May 27, 2019 11:00 - 59 seconds - 484 KBLet go of burdens that aren't yours. 1. Write down one thing you worry about that isn’t part of your job to solve. 2. Write down the name of who it belongs to. 3. Crumple it up. 4. Pray for the person in charge of that problem. 5. Go encourage the owner of the project.
Conquering Burnout | ep9
May 24, 2019 18:00 - 18 minutes - 8.34 MBWhat do you need: a relational baseline people who know you before you burned out people to walk with you through where you are a willingness to allow a perspective shift backup and gain some perspective our gut says “move closer to analyze this problem”. not helpful vacation in a dramatic way, visit a different church, learn something new, change the way you see. Change how you see - gain a new perspective clarify you values serve, or be served Is this role about you usi...
Conquering Burnout
May 24, 2019 18:00 - 18 minutes - 8.33 MBWhat do you need: a relational baseline people who know you before you burned out people to walk with you through where you are a willingness to allow a perspective shift backup and gain some perspective our gut says “move closer to analyze this problem”. not helpful vacation in a dramatic way, visit a different church, learn something new, change the way you see. Change how you see - gain a new perspective clarify you values serve, or be served Is this role about you usi...
Identifying Burnout
May 17, 2019 20:00 - 20 minutes - 9.4 MBThree reasons I think the church is so prone to burnout. 1. We carry burdens for problems that don’t belong to us. 2. The mission of the church has nothing to do with what we are good at. 3. Our gifts aren’t needed in the body we are serving. Symptoms of Burnout: you lose your ability to be self aware You say things like “I’m not capable of anything, let alone this job”. you try to lead people into what you feel, not what you think. You share stories that provoke others to feel f...
Identifying Burnout | ep8
May 17, 2019 20:00 - 20 minutes - 9.4 MBThree reasons I think the church is so prone to burnout. 1. We carry burdens for problems that don’t belong to us. 2. The mission of the church has nothing to do with what we are good at. 3. Our gifts aren’t needed in the body we are serving. Symptoms of Burnout: you lose your ability to be self aware You say things like “I’m not capable of anything, let alone this job”. you try to lead people into what you feel, not what you think. You share stories that provoke others to feel f...
My Burnout Story
May 10, 2019 17:00 - 20 minutes - 9.51 MBTwo years ago from the release of this podcast, I quit my job. I was burning out. That's typically how the burnout story goes. I'm burning out, so it's time to leave. We leave, find a new perspective in a new environment, learn from our struggles, and hopefully get better. That's not how my story goes. I left, then came back. Because of this, I was able to identify how I was unknowingly contributing to my own burnout. Coming back let me change those things. This episode is my unique stor...
My Burnout Story | ep7
May 10, 2019 17:00 - 20 minutes - 9.52 MBTwo years ago from the release of this podcast, I quit my job. I was burning out. That's typically how the burnout story goes. I'm burning out, so it's time to leave. We leave, find a new perspective in a new environment, learn from our struggles, and hopefully get better. That's not how my story goes. I left, then came back. Because of this, I was able to identify how I was unknowingly contributing to my own burnout. Coming back let me change those things. This episode is my unique stor...
Aligning your Ministry with the Mission | ep6
May 05, 2019 18:00 - 17 minutes - 7.98 MBAvoid Mission Neutral events. Here are the questions I ask when I’m developing something new. 1. What problem are we trying to address? Establish a goal for your initiative. It isn’t a good idea to head out on a road trip without knowing where you hope to end up Without knowing what you hope to accomplish with the projects or events you plan, every other part of the planning process breaks Mission-neutral events waste a tremendous amount of resources Examples of goals Is there a n...
Aligning your Ministry with the Mission
May 05, 2019 18:00 - 17 minutes - 7.98 MBAvoid Mission Neutral events. Here are the questions I ask when I’m developing something new. 1. What problem are we trying to address? Establish a goal for your initiative. It isn’t a good idea to head out on a road trip without knowing where you hope to end up Without knowing what you hope to accomplish with the projects or events you plan, every other part of the planning process breaks Mission-neutral events waste a tremendous amount of resources Examples of goals Is there a n...
The Annual Reading Plan Case Study | ep5
April 28, 2019 18:00 - 14 minutes - 6.65 MBWhy: A high level understanding of God’s word is critical to the Christ follower. It is important for us to know God’s word deeply It is also important for us to know God’s word broadly It Builds confidence in those who are inexperienced reading their Bible How: Here is how we’ve done it to great success Brand the year (this means plan ahead! We had everything finished by Early November) Brand subseries Creates a rhythm Creates entry points for new people Creates onramps for peo...
The Annual Reading Plan Case Study
April 28, 2019 18:00 - 14 minutes - 6.64 MBWhy: A high level understanding of God’s word is critical to the Christ follower. It is important for us to know God’s word deeply It is also important for us to know God’s word broadly It Builds confidence in those who are inexperienced reading their Bible How: Here is how we’ve done it to great success Brand the year (this means plan ahead! We had everything finished by Early November) Brand subseries Creates a rhythm Creates entry points for new people Creates onramps for peo...
Support The Mission
April 26, 2019 22:00 - 13 minutes - 6.03 MBWe aren’t in charge of the mission That is the burden of leadership. That is directed by scripture. If you can’t accept that, you either need to do the work to be in leadership, or move on to a place where you are on board with the mission. You are stalling the mission if you are: Spending your time defending your trade over the mission Verbalizing disagreement with the mission Arguing against on mission decisions that require more work or aren’t exciting You are supporting the mi...
Support The Mission | ep4
April 26, 2019 22:00 - 13 minutes - 6.03 MBWe aren’t in charge of the mission That is the burden of leadership. That is directed by scripture. If you can’t accept that, you either need to do the work to be in leadership, or move on to a place where you are on board with the mission. You are stalling the mission if you are: Spending your time defending your trade over the mission Verbalizing disagreement with the mission Arguing against on mission decisions that require more work or aren’t exciting You are supporting the mi...
Project Management Matters
April 26, 2019 22:00 - 21 minutes - 9.83 MBFor some, project management tools seem a bit overwhelming and limiting. In this episode we will talk through the value project management can play in your personal growth, and why the data you collect has the power to shape change in the organization. Tips for using a project management solution effectively: Enter everything Define what a deadline is We use "in hands date" as the date we need something for promotion Log all conversations and updates This helps you identify where a pr...
Project Management Matters | ep3
April 26, 2019 22:00 - 21 minutes - 9.83 MBFor some, project management tools seem a bit overwhelming and limiting. In this episode we will talk through the value project management can play in your personal growth, and why the data you collect has the power to shape change in the organization. Tips for using a project management solution effectively: Enter everything Define what a deadline is We use "in hands date" as the date we need something for promotion Log all conversations and updates This helps you identify where a pr...
Following Behavior Not Words
April 26, 2019 22:00 - 10 minutes - 4.93 MBIn this episode, I want to talk about the dissonance that happens between what we ask our people to do, and what we do our selves. Topics: We tell people they need to get out of debt while we encumber debt We encourage families to budget strategically while we spend flippantly We tell parents we want to partner with them while communicating with their kids using social media services their parent's don't support We say “God will provide” while we panic because we don’t have enough volun...
Following Behavior Not Words | ep2
April 26, 2019 22:00 - 10 minutes - 4.93 MBIn this episode, I want to talk about the dissonance that happens between what we ask our people to do, and what we do our selves. Topics: We tell people they need to get out of debt while we encumber debt We encourage families to budget strategically while we spend flippantly We tell parents we want to partner with them while communicating with their kids using social media services their parent's don't support We say “God will provide” while we panic because we don’t have enough volun...
The Why Behind The Communicate on Purpose Podcast | ep1
April 22, 2019 02:00 - 12 minutes - 5.89 MBIf you work at a church (or other organization) that has a clear mission, it can be difficult to lead change in your area of influence. I encountered this early in my ministry career as a graphic designer. I tried to influence change with arguments focused on trends and typography. Needless to say, I wasn't having much success. Over the years, I've been able to make two key pivots in the way that I initiate change, and they have made a huge difference in my ability to move the mission of th...
The Why Behind The Communicate on Purpose Podcast
April 22, 2019 02:00 - 12 minutes - 5.88 MBIf you work at a church (or other organization) that has a clear mission, it can be difficult to lead change in your area of influence. I encountered this early in my ministry career as a graphic designer. I tried to influence change with arguments focused on trends and typography. Needless to say, I wasn't having much success. Over the years, I've been able to make two key pivots in the way that I initiate change, and they have made a huge difference in my ability to move the mission of th...