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GALLUP WORLD POLL

I have been at Gallup University this week and have been impressed with the Gallup World Poll.

It gives you the power to know – and act on – what the world is thinking. . . Here is the info they post:

What could you do differently if you knew what the whole world was thinking . . . all of the time?

Imagine the possibilities. What could you do with constant access to the opinions and behaviors of 6 billion global citizens?

The Gallup World Poll, an entity like nothing of its kind, brings the thoughts and actions of the world’s population to life. The Gallup World Poll is a new way to view the world. More importantly, the World Poll is the single most accurate source of global behavioral economic data in existence today — the source necessary to drive change and create new opportunities around the world.

• The World Poll is the world’s most comprehensive database of behavioral economic measures.
• While traditional economic measures examine the effects of what is happening in the world, the Gallup World Poll provides empirical insights into the causes behind those events.

This information empowers decision makers to better anticipate and address vital issues.

The Gallup World Poll continually surveys citizens in more than 140 countries, representing 95% of the world’s adult population. General and regional-specific questions, developed in collaboration with the world’s leading behavioral economists, are organized into powerful indexes and topic areas that correlate with real-world outcomes.

Architecting the Culture Pub

Article published August 28, 2008 in Culture Pub, Emerging Voices

Voxtropolis
IMN Global Network
IMN Field Operative
Dr. JE Caterson

If you live in the ‘909′ you realize a few things that make your world unique and distinct. For one you live in Southern California’s Inland Empire – the home to 1.9 million people. You most likely live in a track home with about a 5000 sq. foot lot. You most likely do not know the majority of your neighbors. You choose to live inland because you could get a bigger house, send your kids to better schools, and you could reside 30 minutes from LA. In a few moments, I will give you a few other slices of my time in the ‘909.’

But, first let me say how excited I was to read the last issue of the IMN news – it highlighted an alternative known as the ‘culture pub.’ I am sure many resonated with the insights and candor of all the contributers. I am thrilled to add yet another voice to the city of voices!

Early in January 2004, the timing from “above” could not have been better! I had just relocated my family cross-country to Southern California when I reconnected with Alex. His interest in my family and insights into church planting were refreshing – to say the least.

As we dreamed of discovering new ways to launch authentic communities the theme of the culture pub emerged – a vehicle and venue for recapturing the essence of humanity seeking to impact our world. In a sense, the culture pub is a return to the mentality and heartbeat that every city needs a voice and a ‘hub’ in which culture exists, breathes, and transforms.

In the Inland Empire we discovered three things that helped us connect with our community (in this article I will give a thumbnail for each and expand these in future articles).

MUSIC VIDEO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

It took nearly forty years Inland Empire developers to build the Victoria Gardens Mall in Rancho Cucamonga, California. It has a magnificent view of the mountains to the north and beautiful new neighborhoods to the east and west. It would prove to be the perfect setting for finding extras for a music video.

Alex had been talking to me for months about an innovative strategy that revolved around the ‘church planter’ becoming a video ‘Executive Producer.’ After all what does a planter need? Three things: a platform in which to dialog with people, credibility that comes from expertise in a given area/field, and finally a vehicle for being around pre-Christians or those not-yet-convinced. We also discovered that there are two types of people in the world – those that have to be in a music video and the rest of us! Those who ‘have to’ naturally want to get to know, get close to, and be connected to the video’s ‘Executive Producer.’

Early on a sunny Saturday morning our teams gathered at Victoria Gardens equipped with digital video cameras, business cards, clipboards, & pens. We determined that our demographics would be 18-28, somewhat hip [we considered ourselves ‘pretty hip’ and wanted to gather similar folks =) ] and preferably those who lived in the ‘909.’

As we spotted a prospective video extra, we approached them confidently saying something like – “We are looking for extras for a music video that is going to be filmed here in Rancho Cucamonga and you have the look we are looking for. Would you be willing to speak your name and email address into our video camera?” Believe it or not it was that simple. We filmed nearly 80 people in less than two hours. Ironically, the mall police shut us down (a story for another time) – but not before we connected with more people than the typical church planter does in six months!

NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PARTY THROWER

Our experience in at the mall also taught us that people in the ‘909′ were looking for a way to connect and the mall was a ‘hub.’ Most people we had met told us that they did not know their neighbors and it was difficult living in a ‘bedroom’ community. Hence, we decided to thrown a number of house parties and house concerts.

We hired a band, made club cards, and empowered an ambiance team & host/hostess team. We were blown away it how easy this was to do and how well it was received. Before long we gained the reputation of being ‘Master Party Throwers.’ (We hosted a total of fourteen house parties and six house concerts our 3 years in Rancho Cucamonga.)

This strategy can work in just about any setting and for typically less than $300 you can gather a crowd – that can readily turn into a core or launch group. Two other well known, side caveats music is a universal language (the key is to learn the sound of your city) and musicians attract other musicians.

REGIONAL CONCERT PROMOTER

Our house concert experience naturally led to an opportunity that gave us great visibility and impact. The Victoria Gardens Mall had a summer concert series. I knew a number of fellow church planters who had tried in vain to get into this amazing venue. A storeowner I knew (he had attended one of our house concerts) at the mall told me that he had given my name to Bruno.

I’ll never forget what I learned the day I walked into Bruno’s office. He was the director of events and entertainment at the mall and was not an easy person to get an appointment with. As I walked into his office, I handed him my card. He said, ‘you have a good reputation around here, what band we you thinking of showcasing for your first night?” I told him about Niza and her band doSul – describing them as Brazilian Fusion. He told me to drop off a demo and we could move forward with a date.

Now picking the right band for the right venue is always important and can be somewhat of an art. Niza’s band was a no-brainer. We scheduled them for a Sunday afternoon. A crowd quickly gathered and the word spread. I received a call from Bruno early in the week. He said, “heard it went well, when can you schedule another band . . .”

Each of these strategy deserve more attention, but for now I hope it encourages you to consider your own culture pub as you transform your city! They allowed us the privilege of impacting the ‘909.’

The One Minute Entrepreneur

My friend & mentor Eric Bryant sent this my way and I thought it would be worth posting! Enjoy!

Insights about Successful Entrepreneurs

In the US, 1 million businesses started each year. 40% fail within one year. 80% fail by the fifth year. 96% have failed by year 10.

Primary reason for failure: “they are started by technicians – people who are skilled at something and who enjoy doing that thing…. They make the fatal mistake of continuing to do the work they’re skilled at while ignoring other vital parts of the business.” – Michael Gerber

“We are becoming the average of the five people with whom we are most closely associated…. [We should] associate with people we admire and can learn from.”

“You can get what you want in life if you help other people get what they want.”

“Success occurs when opportunity and preparation meet.”

“Profit is the applause you get for taking care of your customers and creating a motivating environment for your people.”

“The best management includes day-to-day coaching that catches people doing things right and redirects their efforts when they are off base.”

“The wrong leaders can send you off in directions you don’t want to go. The right leader at the right time can help steer things in the right direction.”

“You can’t predict the good that can come from helping or forgiving someone.”

Attributes of Successful Entrepreneur

Resourceful

Purposeful

Focused

Risk-taking

Problem-solving

Salesmanship-0riented

Visionary

Optimistic

Leadership-oriented

Ambitious

Innovative

Integrity-based

Adaptable

Communicative

Self-motivated

Strategic

Team-oriented

Determined

Curious

Balanced

Wide Awake Overview

Here is an overview of Erwin McManus’ new book Wide Awake.

Some of us live more compelling lives while we’re asleep and never consider it is better to dream with our eyes open.. Far too many are sleeping through their dreams rather than living out their dreams..

Three dominate reasons:

1 pursuing a dream that doesn’t fit your life.

2 pursuing a dream that does match your life but not being able to make it your life.

3 giving up on living a life of your dreams altogether and living out of obligation rather than imagination.

Wide Awake is about finding a dream that fits your like and making it your life.

The most important question when it comes to your dreams is “if your dreams came true would the world become a better place?”

The dream you need to live isn’t for you. To live wide awake is to live a heroic life.

There are eight attributes of the person who lives wide awake- they dream, explore, adapt, expect,, focus, create, enjoy, and invest.

The world needs you to live your most heroic life. When you live wide awake you become a catalyst for creating a future where the world finds greater hope and becomes a better humanity.

Erwin on Being an Expert

HERE IS A TIMELY ARTICLE BY ERWIN MCMANUS:

This past weekend the conversation across our gatherings at Mosaic was focused on how to become an expert in any field of choice. We walked through what distinguished those who are considered the best in the world at their craft and how they got there. Even while I was traveling from location to location I wondered if this was within the rules of what you’re supposed to do at “church.” Yet at the same time I knew that this is one of the many ways that Mosaic is distinct from so many other faith experiences. Religion as a whole specializes in sin management. It’s all about organizing humanity in such a way that we cause as little damage as possible.

The upgrade is when we focus on being good people (good people seem to cluster in suburban areas) who advocate family values. The premium plan is when we admit we’re really bad people (who still try really hard to be good) and realize the best we can do is worship the One (and only one) who is good. Strangely enough all of these applications have their place and importance even from the perspective of someone who is not compelled by them (that would be me).  This series on “practical wisdom”, which coincides with the release of my newest book WIDE AWAKE, reminds me that for our community here in Los Angeles the gospel has become so much more than this.

Just the weekend before I was having dinner with one of Hollywood’s success stories.  He is a gifted Cinematographer and Director. His wife is a person of faith and he is honest in the fact that he is not. She loves Jesus and he loves her so we were sharing a meal and he was coming to our gathering afterwards. I sat there at dinner thinking how much I really liked this person. We talked about films and making films and how good the food was and while I was fascinated by him he also seemed genuinely interested in me and my story.  In the course of the conversation he asked me what Wide Awake was about and so I explained it to him in three different layers.

At first I simply said it is about finding a dream that fits your life and how to make it your life. He looked interested so I pressed ahead with my final explanation, “You know the narrative known as the gospel? I think it has been demeaned. It has been reduced to this, ‘come to Jesus so that your sins will be forgiven and you can go to heaven and not go to hell.’ For me this is the most narcissistic, self- focused, self preserving message I have ever heard.” He just listened without response so I continued. “Wide Awake proposes the gospel is in fact a call to provoke the heroic out of us all. That Jesus lived the ultimately heroic life by giving himself as a sacrifice for all of humanity and that He now calls us to give ourselves away for the good of the world.”

I think right after that we began to talk about how good the shrimp was or something like that. Soon we left and began walking the streets of Hermosa Beach enjoying the sunlight and feeling our lives are better than our friends in frigid Norway. Suddenly he said, “I’d really like to read your book.”  I then let him know he could pick one up at Barnes and Nobles (I’m just kidding).  I told him I would be happy to give him one when we arrived at Mosaic. Then he surprised me with his next statement. “The Gospel has never made sense to me. It is as you said such a narcissistic narrative. But this idea that it is about provoking us to the heroic. This is intriguing to me.” Then he asked me a question I will never forget. “Is it possible that Christianity has rejected this gospel because it demands too much of us?”
Me…I think it is possible.

Of the original twelve one chose the role of villain. The other eleven were left with no smaller a task then to save the world. If you listen to their detractors these were ordinary, ignorant, and untrained men. They all even after three years of being personally mentored by the Son of God walked away from their leader and reverted to the cowards they were. They quickly, after the death of Jesus, returned to their previous way of life. They seemed comfortable with the mundane.  Yet Pentecost changed everything.  Whatever they learned over three years paled in comparison to what they gained when the Spirit of Jesus came to dwell within them.  He ignited and unleashed something they had never known before.  They would never be the same and because of them the world would never be the same.

When we look at history we see that history is made be the heroes of their times.  Yet somehow we miss this when we put on the lens of the Scriptures.  Through this lens we are able to see the activity of God in all of history.  We must never forget that.  But somehow we also become blind to the heroic culture that permeates the Scripture.  Just like human history, so too do the heroes who rise up and call the masses to something greater write biblical history.  This is how God works- by calling out greatness from each of us.
In 1965 Nigeria had a GDP of 300 dollars. Singapore had a GDP of 600 dollars. Nigeria was mineral rich and Singapore had no natural resources.  By 2005 Nigeria’s GDP remained unchanged.  Singapore’s in that same time had risen to 30,000 dollars.  Nigeria had every advantage to far surpass Singapore. Singapore had no perceivable prospect for a better future.  What made the difference?  Nigeria neglected the one resource Singapore capitalized on- human ingenuity.  This is just one of an endless number of reminders that the future isn’t waiting for you, it is waiting within you.

It is the creative and enterprising spirit of people that is indispensable. Everything else is supplemental. It is the human resource that must be valued, developed, and maximized. What would the world look like if all of us lived our most heroic life? What would our communities of faith become if we were committed to mentoring each person until they found the dream that matched their life and then helped them to make that dream their life? What if all of us lived wide awake? These are the questions that fuel us.
When researchers try to breakdown what is happening at Mosaic far too often they see the skin and miss the heart. They see nine gatherings in seven locations and so we are a multi-site congregation. Or they see over 50 nationalities and so then we are a multi-ethnic church. They see a community whose average age is 25 so we are post-modern. Or are captured by the fact that we meet in a downtown LA club called the Mayan defined by the thousands of pagan gods that cover the entire complex and label us an emerging church. The most ironic is that when they listen in to our conversation with an unbelieving world and discover that our community is overflowing with people so far from God that they normally wouldn’t darken the doors of a church and they conclude we must be emergent.

To tell you the truth I don’t know what we are. We are constantly learning and growing and changing. We are really an experiment. We are endeavoring to discover if a community of faith can exist purely for the good of others. Can the church become the greatest humanitarian movement on the planet? Can we become the epicenter of human creativity, innovation, and compassion? Can we create humanity’s next great culture? We think to ask what kind of church should we become is not only the wrong question, it is boring. We should be asking what kind of future do we want to create?

At the heart of all of this is a passionate conviction that every human is created in the image and likeness of God. We are broken and fragmented images- the material from which a mosaic can be formed. We are committed to calling out of every person the greatness that lies within. We are a disrupting sound breaking the silence of the mundane awakening the hero within us all. This call is not in conflict with the glory of God but in fact brings God the Glory He is do. The entire cosmos groans for its redemption, yet all creation declares the glory of God. We have fallen far short of what we were created to be, but in Christ all things are made new. Jesus came to bring us life- and that in abundance- we’re just trying to flesh that out in community and in the world.
A world where everyone is fully alive…that’s what makes me lose sleep and dream wide-awake.
-Erwin Raphael McManus

Ignite Future Leaders

IGNITE is the leadership initiative of Big Net Ministries International [BNMI]

IGNITE will be a catalytic collaboration between a team of visionary innovators, who specialize in the field of developing and igniting personal and organizational creativity.

We are so excited to finally get this blog going!