Posted by jeremyscheller | 0 Comments

Mentors, Part 2

Finding a mentor may seem daunting but in reality, the world is becoming a small inter-connected web. Don’t think about just who you know, think bigger. Who do you want to know?

I suggest you find mentors in a number of places:

1. In your church
There are authentic leaders in your church. I suggest you look for people in your church who have a high sense of self and high degree of confidence in their abilities. I seek out people who are clearly advancing in their careers and I ask questions. At times, I’ll have coffee or lunch with a mentor in an un-related field just to tap into their leadership qualities.

2. Through your church partners
At Sanctuary, we started off with some seed funds from Woodland Hills Church and Church of the Open Door. I was at Open Door for many years and had contracted to do some design work for them. I then moved on to Woodland Hills where I volunteered and helped to design the campaign that not only was building their Youth Center, but also funded the Sanctuary planting fund. At both of these places, I gained from my experience, but also built the necessary relationships to go back and say, “I don’t know what I’m doing…can you help?” Find your local church networks and step out of your comfort zone, get to know the people who make influential decisions and grow the relationships.

3. At conferences
The modern church is conference crazy. Literally crazy. Throw a dart at a map and there’s probably a conference going on that week. I think I’m averaging attending 2-3 conferences a year now…Not exactly a conference scenester, but taking in enough to get the much needed restarts that help you to avoid burnout. Pick a relevant conference to your job. Maybe it’s just on leadership, maybe it’s on your specific field. Go. Get to know. Grow. I try not to leave a conference without making 1-2 truly valuable connections. Sometimes it’s outside of my comfort zone, but it’s well worth it. Talk to someone after a workshop they taught. Ask real questions that further the conversation.

4. On the web
If you aren’t on Facebook or Twitter, you should be. Everybody else is. These applications make it easier for you to actually connect with people you once thought were untouchable. For instance, this guy or this guy. These applications are making geography irrelevant. There’s a very good chance that someone you believe would be a great mentor is just a few clicks away. Start the relationship small and grow it with care.

Finding a mentor all comes down to being real about pursuing your goals. We all reach thresholds where we stop growing on our own. Mentors will help you move on to the next level. But, you need to have the courage to take the first steps towards building the relationships that can make a difference in your life…

Posted by jeremyscheller | 0 Comments

Top Post of all time…

I realize I’ve said this before, but sometimes I’m still shocked at the numbers. This is still, by far, my top post of all time.

I must have hit the Search Engine Optimization on the head with this one…

I still agree, that it’s a fairly accurate summary of both the small picture and the big picture of the platform differences.

Posted by jeremyscheller | 2 Comments

Introducing Phil.

Redwire Creative is retooling for the economic downturn…Well, ok, not really. We work with clients we love. Economic downturn, Schmeconomic downturn… As long as we have clients we love, we’ll work hard to help them reach their goals no matter the economy….yada, yada, yada.

Anyway. Phillip Hussong has talent…and he’s a friend. So he’s joining the team. Phil is a talented photographer, a gifted writer, and a compassionate spirit. We’re excited to bring his skills in the Redwire Creative family. Redwire is a small design/communications firm that focuses on improving the ability of non-profits, ministries, and small businesses to get the word out about their organization. (www.redwirecreative.com you can go there if you want, but we spend time working for our clients, not working for our website..) Neeraj Mehta and I have been a core 2 duo for the last few years, and it’s going to be nice to have some fresh eyes and awesome new skills to add to our arsenal.

Posted by jeremyscheller | 0 Comments

Mentors Part 1

Quite honestly, when I started out in ministry, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing (some might argue I still don’t). The one thing I did know, however, was there were a lot of people that I was connected to and a lot people I would get connected to that could help me along the journey and would share the load in making me more effective at what I do.
I’m going to spend a few posts talking about mentors.

Types of mentors
I am a perpetual learner. No matter what the subject matter, I probably have some interest in it. That curiosity has led me to mentors to play several different roles in my career and personal life.
When most people go looking for a mentor, they probably start by asking, “Who do I know that does what I do, and does it better than me?”

That’s a good place to start, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to learning how to be a true leader in your career and personal life. I would suggest you spend some time in your life to find mentors in 4 areas:

Role Player
This is the no-brainer. Find someone who has played your role and done it longer than you. For me, it’s church communications. In the past 5 years from volunteering to full-time ministry, I’ve had the pleasure of taking part in significant mentoring experiences with 4 people who do what I do. Every church is different. Every organization has its own structure. Those differences make it all the more beneficial to glean from different leaders who have more experience doing what you do.

Leadership Groomer
I’ve been fortunate to cross paths with people who have had jobs that required them to be a strong leader. Vice presidents, owners of advertising firms, one of the greatest designers in the world. These people had more than skill to get to the position they are in, they’ve had leadership qualities that pushed them to excel beyond their pack. They may not have things to teach you about your specific role, but they likely understand how to work with people in such a way that they maximize the potential of others.

The Spiritual Director
This person is more consistent in their journey with Christ than you are. They’ve been in the walk longer, have seen God move, and recognize what choices they had to make to experience God more abundantly. They are also willing to hold you accountable. I’ve had these people in my life, but have rarely taken steps towards this, but I’m feeling now is the time.

The Objective Counselor
This person is in your life because they care about you. They care about you to the extent that they are willing to be brutally honest and hold you accountable in your relationships with others. If you have something to confess, they push you to confess. If you’re letting yourself get walked over, they push you to stand up for yourself. They know that you are a better person when you push through your weaknesses and harness them for your long-term growth. My wife has been one of these people in my life. She challenges me to confront my weaknesses, knowing that I and we will be better on the other side.

Posted by jeremyscheller | 0 Comments

This week in Prefab: PieceHomes

I’d like to wrap myself up in the Wrap Tower by PieceHomes.

If I lived about 4 blocks from where I do now, I’d like to build this on a street with a view of the woods. I’d live all modern-like, buying all my furniture from Ikea, Design Within Reach, Crate and Barrel and West Elm. 

However, in the real world, I’m broke, live 4 blocks east in the hood and buy nothing. 

It’s fun to dream though.

Posted by jeremyscheller | 2 Comments

Instead of writing a book like so many others I know…

Well, Kem Meyer is writing the much anticipated Less Clutter, Less Noise. I’ve read the first 5 chapters. It’s great. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted your ministry leaders to read and more. 

Tim Schraeder is writing the next Church Communications manifesto. He’s not connected to a publisher yet, but he has much to say, so watch for it. 

Kevin Hendricks and Jeremiah Gamble are both writing novels for National Novel Writing Month. I’m not sure Kevin’s plans, but Jeremiah plans to be published. 

So instead of writing a book, I wrote this post just to give them all props!

Posted by jeremyscheller | 0 Comments

Change We Can Believe In

The campaign postcards aren’t over yet. Sure you’ve been inundated with them for the last year. How funny it will be to get one more handed to you by a friend or co-worker this week. 

Thanks to some graphics from GCC, we’re going to be diving into a series called Change We Can Believe In. 

No, it’s not about our excitement over the Obama victory. It’s about you. Your heart. Your growth. Our journey together. We’re making some changes at Sanctuary, and we want to let you know what it’s going to mean for all of us. Through it all, our goal is to help you become fully engaged followers of Christ…and now we’re making strides to help us all get there. 

Posted by jeremyscheller | 1 Comment

Thoughts on voting and the prophetic journey towards reconciliation.

Many people have probably heard me say, “I use my vote to vote for something, not against something.” 

Staying true to that axiom, for the first time in three elections, I didn’t vote for Ralph Nader. I actually voted for a major party candidate for the presidency. 

Two things that will win my vote no matter what the rest of your platform is:

1. I feel like your telling me the truth. No BS. I vote for the most honest person in the room. The one who has nothing to lose and is a straight shooter. The one who doesn’t just play the game of fame politics, but is driven to achieve goals that are self-actualized in the character of the individual. 
2. Your definition of “Life” is from the womb to the tomb! Abortion is a hot issue, especially for Christians. But in my neighborhood, so is being a teen mom (in 2004, North Minneapolis had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation). Life is not just about bringing kids into the world, it’s about what are we going to do with them once they’re here. How will we care? How will we show it? What will we do to support young moms? I tend to think that poverty is the reason the abortion rate is so high, not just because women have the right to have them. A whole-life policy is what we need, not just regulation and restriction.