People who are passionate about their work have one thing in common: they are not motivated by money … what drives them is their love of what they do.

Anyone can have a passionate commitment to do just about anything:  jockeys (Good luck in the Belmont Stakes to Mario Gutierrez, going for The Triple Crown aboard I’ll Have Another), surgeons, cooks, software engineers, mechanics, CEOs, lawyers, teachers, builders, dancers, stockbrokers and surfers.

Work wholeheartedly

In the Bible, this passion is spoken of as “wholeheartedness,” as in the case of Hezekiah.

“In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.” (2 Chronicles 31:21)

When we do something “wholeheartedly” that means we concentrate all, everything, on doing the one thing, with heart and soul, totally committed.

But, did you catch the order?

First, Hezekiah sought God, trusting the power of the Spirit within to give strength, meaning and direction. Then, he gave the work everything he had. We might call that being in “the sweet spot.” And finally, financial reward came along the way.

I was very fortunate to find two things that I loved to do as a senior in high school: surfing and broadcasting. Living inland and a weak back took a toll on surfing. However, the Lord has graciously allowed me to continue my work in Christian media to this day. I am passionate about what I do and love the people I get to do it with and for.

How about you? Have you found your sweet spot? Do you love what you do? If not, what’s holding you back from pursuing your passion?

Be inspired every day

Everything is possible for him who believes. Mark 9:23

Last November, big wave surfer Garret McNamara broke the Guinness World Records for riding the largest-ever wave, a towering 78-foot wall of water. He was awarded $15,000 for the riding the record setting wave at the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards in California.

McNamara, now 44, began surfing at the age of 11. Commenting on the record, he said: “The world would be a much better place if everyone was doing what they wanted to do.”

McNamara has said that on the day he broke the record, he at first had not wanted to take a ride but his friends urged him to catch a few waves.

So, friend to friend…

Come on. Seek God. Ask him to give you the power, the boldness, and the drive to do what He has purposed for you to do. You may not make history, achieve something no person on the planet has ever accomplished, or offer a famous prayer to God that saves a city. Then again… Go. For. It.

Bestselling author and speaker Frank Viola recently announced on his blog that he is “toying with the idea” of starting an Internet Radio Show.

Franks says, “The podcast would not be about church but would discuss a wide range of topics – theological, biblical, popular culture, etc.”

His blog readers are engaged in the Imagineering process by helping him to select a show co-host, should the vision ever turn into reality.

Leading candidates nominated for co-host so far include Rachel Held Evans, Len Sweet, Francis Chan, and one vote for “an invisible female co-host that Frank makes up and does her voice.”

That last one might reflect an existing symbiotic relationship already established between host and audience, which would be a promising sign.

Jumping on the brainstorming bandwagon, I’ve come up with my top ten reasons Frank should create his own Internet Radio Talk Show…

#10… He calls himself a “nobody,” but with a podcast ranked #1 on iTunes in “Christian Podcasts” in Canada and #13 in the USA, his ability to attract and retain an audience has been outstanding.

#9… It will get his message “on the deeper Christian life” across to a larger group of Millennials – his target audience – all at one time. The timing couldn’t be better. The weekly online radio audience now reaches an estimated 57 million people; the audience has doubled every five years since 2001. (Arbitron/Edison Infinite Dial 2012)

#8… As Michael Hyatt says in his new book Platform, it will be another channel through which he can “step up and provide leadership to a tribe of fellow travelers who share his passion.”

#7… It will give him fresh content for expanding into digital storytelling. He and his diverse audience will be able to share their life stories, creative imaginings, and experiences of God’s presence with others via the Internet, on discs, podcasts, or other electronic media.

#6… It will be an effective way to test, develop and nurture ideas.

#5… Christian mass media needs him. The long-term sustainability of the gospel media industry is contingent upon the development of new programs and content whether it is created for new or traditional media.

#4… As a new media pioneer, he will inspire other Christian authors, speakers, filmmakers, storytellers and preachers to experiment and creatively innovate with technology for gospel purposes.

#3… His comedic bits prove that Christians can laugh at themselves, have fun, and that you don’t have to have perfectly combed hair to do shtick.

#2… The show can serve as a guide to “research and development” for other media that he has no plans to do, but that friends may encourage him to do anyways, e.g. Web TV or conventional radio. He would then join the growing ranks of those taking advantage of media convergence: Teenage YouTube sensation become a local DJ, and Christian radio host starts on daily TV.

Extra: If he goes forward, I would suggest that he capture each show with an inexpensive but high-quality video camera. It can be done, and done well, for not a lot of money, because “you never know” what the future holds.

And the NUMBER ONE reason Frank Viola should start an Internet Radio Show…

#1… So five years from now, should he finally take the plunge, he won’t be wishing that he had listened to the advice of his friends who are encouraging him to start now.

Question: What risks are you being encouraged to take but the “what if’s” are keeping you from moving forward?

The number of businesses, organizations and institutions creating Christian content channels is gaining momentum.

One of the greatest opportunities is for those working with streaming video.

The online video explosion is not slowing down.

According to comScore figures, 181 million U.S. Internet users (up by 2 million from February) watched nearly 37 billion online content videos in March 2012.

Sermon videos may be a very small percentage but I’d say they’re the most important part of that mix. Each one has the potential to change lives.

Every time another church streams its services and makes its video content available on the Web, Christians have reason to celebrate.

This was my favorite tweet from Mothers Day:

“Thank you North Point Online for letting me see church from the hospital on Mother’s Day!”  Angie

This type of connection and conversation around what churches are doing online is only one example of what’s possible through the creation of new digital video outreach and evangelism channels.

The team I work with at enspire.tv is working to help churches and broadcasters come together to get in on the ground floor of this opportunity.

As streaming video gains greater acceptance as an effective method of communicating the gospel online, sharing best practices will contribute to a healthier and stronger new Christian media ecosystem.

Here are eight practices to consider when launching and managing a Christian streaming video content channel.

1. Choose content carefully. Offer a variety of preaching styles that will touch different audience groups, i.e. teens, adults, in their different stages of spiritual growth. Partner with ministries committed to biblical fidelity.

2. Deliver high-quality. Users demand uninterrupted delivery of increasingly higher quality video over the Internet. The streaming quality directly impacts audience perception and the ability to touch lives with biblical truth.

3. Publish regularly. Whether new content is added daily or weekly, just be consistent. As an aggregator and curator, be known as a trusted resource for fresh content that is constantly changing, being added to and improved. You want people to come back often and tell their friends to tune in.

4. Make it easy to share. Having people share all or portions of the messages being streamed is vital to increasing the reach and impact of the content. Allow users to capture a few minutes of the sermon they find most compelling and share via social platforms and email. Create embeddable channels that users can put on their blogs and websites.

5. Create and help create. Locally operated channels provide the ability to customize, personalize, and regionalize original content. As a channel operator, you can produce your own steaming video content as you gain a foothold with the new medium. Invite participation from other content producers, allowing them to create and tell stories on your channel.

6. Encourage conversations. The effectiveness of a Christian streaming video channel is enhanced when a conversation loop is initiated with the audience. Build-in technology systems to facilitate two-way communication.

7. Integrate compatible advertising. Local online video channels can help companies and consumers engage with one another. People may be skipping commercials on TV, but according to comScore, online video advertising is exploding, In March, video advertising impressions topped 8 billion impressions for the first time ever. Commercial channels have to be monetized, but they don’t have to be monetized with annoying ads or an obnoxious quota of ads. Set strict limits on the types of advertising accepted and the number ad units available per channel.

8. Give something back. “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) Collaborate with God at the start of the venture to figure out how to share resources with everyone involved in the creation and ongoing life of the channel: content providers, church partners, customers, viewers. A successful business enterprise is the result of God’s provision. Everything comes from Him. Fight to sow generously and cheerfully.

The other day, I watched a discussion built on the premise that “Christian Media and Church Media are usually synonymous with Horrible Media.”

I’d like to offer my two cents worth on the topic. First,  let’s define media for this context.

Media refers collectively to 1) all content technologies intended to reach a large audience via Radio, Television and the Internet, and, 2) the individuals and organizations that create and control these technologies and communication channels.

Christian Media refers to the content and channels whose purpose is to reach the lost and strengthen believers with the gospel.

Now, I want to respond specifically to two points made during the interview.

It’s not all about the packaging

First, bad packaging (branding, marketing, naming) was identified as one of the mains culprits giving Christian Media a bad reputation.

I agree that there is some really bad packaging out there. But that doesn’t make all or even most Christian Media bad. That is an overgeneralization. There is bad branding in mainstream media, and notwithstanding the sheer volume disparity between mainstream and Christian content, we wouldn’t say mainstream media is horrible.

The branding blunders of some do not negate the great work for the gospel being done by hundreds and hundreds of Christian Media workers.

Second, and more important of the two, the packaging of the sermon was put on an equal footing with the sermon itself.

It was suggested that people wouldn’t stay with any message for more than a couple of seconds if the packaging was bad, no matter how inspired the message.

It’s understood that the look and feel of a program can be so lousy that a person yawns or quickly tunes out. Even so, that doesn’t make packaging and preaching of equal value.

It doesn’t matter if the program has a catchy name and award winning graphics, if there isn’t a trustworthy message and gospel worthy goals underneath it all, the audience would be better off (spiritually speaking) by not tuning in.

We can all probably think of some famous examples where ministries have slick marketing but sick messaging. I don’t think a Christ-centered church would want to be in that group.

I’m not meaning to say that we shouldn’t take quality in packaging seriously, or that we shouldn’t seek out great marketing people and then trust them to develop appropriate branding.

I just think we have to be careful about having a fixation on image that seduces us into trying to change the world by conforming to the world’s techniques. In the end God will be asking us about about changed lives, not changed perceptions.

It is a matter of priority.

Priority of the message

One of the largest churches in the country just launched a new television ministry. Those involved with production and marketing of the program stated their priorities like this…

“(The television ministry) is all about the message. We work hard so nothing interferes with the message. It is about glorifying God and reaching people who haven’t heard (the gospel) presented in a personal way.”

They have it exactly right, and they maintain a national reputation for excellence.

Any discussion, including this one, of what makes good media and bad media can be quite subjective, but in my opinion, the distinction between good Christian Media and bad Christian Media is quite simple.

Good Christian media leaves me with a greater understanding of the truth that everything I need is found in Jesus. (Colossians 2:1-7)

Three things were spot on in the interview, I thought.

The Lord has made everything for His own purposes. Proverbs 16:4

1. Digital media is opening up new ways to tell The Story.
2. The effectiveness of Christian Media will be enhanced through a conversation loop with the audience.
3. A new generation of pastors is creating innovative video outreach on the Web. It is clear that the potential of the New Christian Media has just barely been tapped.

As you may have surmised, I do not believe that Christian Media is horrible media. Christian Media been made by God for His purposes, and whatever those are, they’re good.

The radio industry is experiencing an invasion of digital music services streamed via the Internet.

One advantage Internet radio has going for it is momentum. Pandora’s audience metrics best tell the story.

In March:

Listener hours for Pandora crossed the 1 billion mark, an increase of 88% over the same time period last year. Its share of total U.S. radio listening was 5.79%. More than 125 million people have registered to listen to Pandora’s free personalized radio stations.

With 42% of the population listening to Internet radio, according to a new TargetSpot Study, listening online is no longer a trend, it is a firmly established behavior.

The formula for success of the dominant streaming music services seems fairly straightforward.

Internet radio’s fight plan

1) Cater to the wants of the audience. 2) Get on every device. 3) Work seamlessly with car stereo systems. 4) Make reach ubiquitous. 5) Take ad dollars away from local broadcasters.

It’s Step Five, the implication of head-to-head competition with local radio, that should get the attention of every broadcaster.

A NY Times article lays out the fight scenario: ”Pandora’s pitch to advertisers is that its technology can cater to consumers with far greater precision than radio — it can pinpoint listeners by age and sex, ZIP code or even musical taste — and that as it grows, Pandora will effectively be the top station in many cities.”

If Pandora can effectively execute its proposed local advertising model it could be a game changer.

Pandora’s founder and chief strategy officers says “A dollar spent on Pandora is better than a dollar spent on terrestrial radio.” Sounds like  a challenge has been issued.

The street fight is on. In the first quarter of 2012, Pandora ran 400 local advertising campaigns across the country. Google, Facebook, Groupon, LivingSocial and others have already been giving many local businesses a taste of the possibilities of accurately geo-targeting ads that create foot traffic.

Competition for local audience and revenue from pure-plays, free standing Internet services, can simply no longer be overlooked.

What can Christian radio stations do to leverage existing platforms and compete in the coming streaming media hyperlocal convergence?

Make the right moves. Here’s five to consider:

1. Study the strategies and tactics of the competition. In “How Pandora Is Winning Over Local Advertisers,” John Hilton, Pandora’s executive director of sales strategy, communication & development, gives a glimpse into what the competition is doing and thinking. “Our key message is that Pandora is working tirelessly to redefine radio,” says Hilton.

2. Stockpile information and ideas on “hyperlocal marketing.” Bookmark Streetfight Magazine, that covers the big new ideas, shifting consumer behavior, and technology-enabled innovations that are promising to build a new world of local advertising and commerce.

3. Make digital multiplatform a priority. The Internet has made every media communications business (and church) a possible television producer, radio broadcaster, blogger and website developer. The world of putting content on a single platform, a website, is gone. A multiplatform strategy publishes content in real time to a website, to mobile apps, and to end users that can become distribution partners.

If needed, partner with a technology provider that will make it easier to jump into the multiplatform world without additional cost or staff. Whatever you do, make sure that your audience can connect with your content when and however they want, or your competitor will.

4. Expand online initiatives, including video content development. Five years ago, CBS Radio CEO Dan Mason said, “In the near future, every radio station can become a TV station.” The future is here.

Christian Web TV platforms are evolving that will enable traditional radio stations to, in addition to their audio channels, include video content, niche and branded content channels. These technology providers and content syndicators will allow broadcasters to innovate with even more compelling, engaging and elaborate ad formats, i.e. video advertising, clickable display ad packages, channel sponsorships, special content packages.

5. Form a hybrid sales team, consisting of digital sellers and traditional radio sales people.

The past is not dead for Christian radio, it is not even gone. It is the foundation on which the committed will fight on the new media landscape by offering audiences and advertisers clearly differentiated and relevant digital content and services.