Although it’s wise to surround yourself with smart and talented people, leading teams can be challenging when your team is smarter than you. If it hasn’t happened to you, it probably will in the future, so here’s six leadership principles I’ve learned that can help you take your team to the next level and their best creative work.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* *More About This Episode* How to Lead When Your Team is Smarter Than You – 6 Leadership Principles On numerous projects during my career, the stakes have been high. Perhaps even more challenging with those projects, is the fact that I was also leading teams that were in most cases more experienced and significantly smarter than me. For instance, I remember multiple times when I worked with a pretty famous A-list director of photography and was worried that on the set, the crew would be more loyal and respectful to him than to me.   Working on great projects can be exhilarating, but honestly, intimidating as well. But from those experiences I learned a lot about how to lead when you’re not the best or smartest person on the team. If it hasn’t happened to you, it probably will in the future, so here’s a handful of principles I learned: 1) Lead softly. Stop reminding your team that you’re in charge, or try to prove how smart you are. You don’t need to defend yourself. You’re the leader, period. Remember if you have to constantly remind the team that you’re the leader, then you’re really not the leader.   2) Acknowledge their strengths. Nothing wins a team over like knowing you value their expertise and appreciate them being there. Don’t hoard praise. Let them know you’re glad each one is on the team and you’re depending on them.   3) Allow them freedom. If they’re smarter than you, then they don’t need to be micromanaged. These aren’t interns here so don’t treat them like it.   4) Don’t let them see you sweat. If you’re the leader, then your team needs to know you have a plan. Once they start sensing you’re over your head, it will be like sharks to blood – not necessarily because they’re bad people – but when a leadership vacuum happens, someone will step in to take over.   5) Respect them and ask for their opinion and feedback. Create a big tent. You may feel like that could open the door to someone nudging you out, but exactly the opposite happens. They feel much more positive about contributing, and will respect you for opening that door.   6) Finally, leverage their strengths. Most of us know the frustration working with a team that’s under par, so be sure and maximize the moment when you have a great team. Worry less about how little you may know and enjoy the benefits of leveraging their brilliance.   Steve Jobs famously said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” That’s great advice. Now go out there in confidence and lead talented people to accomplish great things!   Read more here: https://www.philcooke.com/how-to-lead-when-your-team-is-smarter-than-you/  

Have you considered a career in radio? My interview with Ruth O’Reilly-Smith, Christian radio host for United Christian Broadcast, offers an inspiring and inside view to her career track from a grocery announcer to a national broadcast radio host. https://philcooke.com If radio is in your DNA, you’ll be encouraged to put the work in to make your dream come true.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Interview: Ruth O’Reilly-Smith – Christian Radio Host – UCB Media, Author   Ruth O’Reilly-Smith is a Christian radio host for United Christian Broadcasters radio and the author of “God Speaks - 40 Letters From The Father's Heart.” She was born in South Africa and has lived in the UK since 1999 where she met and married her husband. Ruth started out in radio in 1995, while studying teaching at the University of Pretoria. The radio bug had bitten and she went on to work as presenter of a variety of music and talk-based shows, along with heading up the news desk at a Christian community radio station. Since moving to the UK, Ruth has continued in radio and worked in the news room and as host of music and talk-based programs for two separate global Christian media charities (Christian Vision and UCB.)   Ruth currently hosts a week day radio show called, This Is My Story on UCB2, which is part of United Christian Broadcasters, a national Christian radio station broadcasting across the UK. Ruth also enjoys writing and wrote for the Our Daily Bread Ministries publication for a number of years and then authored the new devotional book “God Speaks – 40 Letters From The Father’s Heart,” published by Authentic Media and available here: https://www.ruthoreillysmith.com/god-speaks/   Follow Ruth O’Reilly-Smith: Website: ruthoreillysmith.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthOnRadio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-o-reilly-smith-0824416/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthoreillysmithpage  

Are you suffering from burnout? My recent interview with best-selling author, speaker and podcaster Carey Nieuwhof will help you rethink your time management and productivity while offering a new perspective on how to prioritize your life and thrive. Get actionable insight to decrease stress as Carey shares from his new book, “At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor.”   Please Like, Favorite and Share this video!   Get Carey Nieuwhof’s book: “At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor” https://amzn.to/30g3ozz (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook at https://www.philcooke.com Get Sam Chand’s new book “New Thinking, New Future” https://www.samchand.com/resources#section-1558090508745   *More About This Episode* Interview with Carey Nieuwhof: Rethink Time Management and Productivity Carey Nieuwhof is a best-selling leadership author, speaker, podcaster, former attorney, and church planter. He writes one of today’s most influential leadership blogs, and his online content is accessed by leaders over 1.5 million times a month.   Carey’s mission is to help people thrive in life and leadership. He has extensive experience helping organizations lead through change, develop high-capacity teams, deepen their personal growth along with their health. He speaks to leaders around the world about leadership, change, and personal growth.   His most recent book, “At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor,” is designed to help you live a life you no longer want to escape from. Instead, you might actually start loving it. Follow Carey Nieuwhof:   Website: https://careynieuwhof.com/ Podcast: https://careynieuwhof.com/mypodcast/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/careynieuwhof Facebook: https://facebook.com/cnieuwhof Tiktok: @careynieuwhof Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClUd0Z_Y7-PgkCjjwddM5Qw Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnieuwhof

Launching a new project? Looking for new ideas? I’ve found there are two questions creative leaders should stop obsessing over if they want inspired ideas. If brought up too soon in the creative process, they can stifle creativity and you’ll never get to the ideas that will change the world. https://philcooke.com   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   **More About this Episode** Creative Leadership: 2 Questions Leaders Should Stop Obsessing Over Whenever you launch a project, or develop a new idea, there are two questions you should never ask at the start: 1) How much will it cost? and 2) When will it be ready?    Sadly, once those two questions are on the table, they tend to drive every creative idea, corporate decision, advertising campaign, and nonprofit cause.   Creative leaders know that the initial questions asked at the start of a project can help or haunt that project because they stay in people’s minds and hover over the entire process. So when you let budgets and deadlines drive your thinking, you get ideas that can easily be paid for and delivered – not ideas that change the world.   And very often, when asked too soon, fear steps in and the project is dropped or changed to something else entirely. In other words, we settle for something less.  That’s why consultant Peter Block says, “The most common rationalization for doing things we do not believe is that what we really desire either takes too long or costs too much.”   Next time you develop ideas, launch a project or meet about a new initiative, give it a little space.  Think beyond the budget and deadline boundaries, and see what happens. Obviously budget and deadlines matter, but when they lead the discussion, they diminish the creative possibilities.   Open yourself up. See what could happen if there were no limits. Because you never know – the ideas that result could be so great, it would force you to upgrade your budget and push your deadline. Imagine that…   Get Peter Block’s book: “The Answer to How is Yes” https://amzn.to/3F16bfN (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Read more here: https://www.philcooke.com/two-questions-you-should-stop-obsessing-over/

Leadership is about communication: what you say and what people hear can be two different things. When it comes to communicating your vision, here’s 5 things I wish leaders would stop saying. https://philcooke.com   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Leadership Skills: 5 Things Leaders Should Never Say If you’re not communicating your vision and values well, it can undermine your credibility as a leader. Hone your leadership skills with these “5 things you should never say” and become the best leader you can be:   I’m busy:Nobody cares. We’re all “busy” these days. When you regularly remind everyone how busy you are, what they hear is: “I’m obviously more important than you and I’m doing more important work.”   I’m authentic:Stop telling people how “authentic” you are and just startbeing authentic. Authenticity means the real thing. It’s the term we use to confirm an original painting or other collectible object. It’s means truthful and not false. Which means that if you have to remind people that you’re authentic, then you’re probably not.   I’ve been doing this for _____ years:Experience is good, but it doesn’t equal expertise. A real authority knows his stuff, so he doesn’t have to remind everyone about his long experience. In fact, the minute someone uses that on me, red flags go up.   He or she is my personal friend:We’ve all been guilty of this in our writing, speaking, and conversation. We mention someone famous or important – someone we know– and just can’t help but mention that he or she is our personal friend. The problem is its been overdone to the point that everyone immediately recognizes it as self-promotion.   I’m in charge:See “I’m authentic.” The bottom line is that if you have to remind everyone you’re the boss, then you’re not the boss. If you’re the leader, bethe leader and you won’t constantly have to remind everyone.   Let’s say that again: If you’re the leader, be the leader, and you won’t constantly have to remind everyone. Each of the phrases above undermine your leadership, so the best thing you can do is to never say them again.   Read more at my blog here: https://www.philcooke.com/five-things-leaders-should-stop-saying/   Get my book “Unique: Telling Your Story in the Age of Brands and Social Media” here: https://amzn.to/2VNQ8du (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)

Do you have a big vision but you’re not quite sure how to get there? In this interview, Phil Cooke talks with Lucas Miles, a pastor, movie producer and successful author who offers practical tips on how to increase your influence and fulfill your calling. https://philcooke.com Includes insight on acting, producing and building trustworthy relationships within the film industry, as well as offering input for pastors on how to speak into the culture today.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Find out more about Lucas Miles at https://lucasmiles.org Get Lucas’ new book The Christian Left: https://lucasmiles.org/books/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lucasmiles Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrlucasmiles/     Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Interview: Lucas Miles, Pastor – Producer – Author, The Christian Left Here’s Lucas Miles’ top three tips to help you fulfill your vision: Stay in proximity. Attend the conferences, network with others in the industry of what you want to do and invest in honing your craft. Resist the urge to force it. Don’t be the guy who’s always trying to oversell yourself. Allow God to create some timing in your life. Advance on all fronts. Don’t feel like you need to do everything at once, but instead strategically look at how your work is being received. Focus on the grace and the wind that’s moving those things forward, while keeping the other things in mind.   Lucas Miles is a trusted voice in the American church who has consistently addressed some of the most challenging topics in theology, politics, and culture. He is the host of Faithwire’s The Lucas Miles Show and a cohost of The Church Boys podcast, where he has interviewed some of the biggest names in media such as Mario Lopez, Jim Cavaziel, Kathie Lee Gifford, Candace Bure, and Sean Hannity.   Lucas and his work have been featured in books and on TV and radio programs, as well as syndicated in articles across both political and religious news outlets, such as The Blaze, Faithwire, Fox News, CBN, Bible Gateway, and The Christian Post. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed book Good God: The One We Want to Believe In but Are Afraid to Embrace and his latest book, The Christian Left: How Liberal Thought Has Hijacked the Church.   An ordained pastor with over twenty years of ministry experience, Lucas has been involved in dozens of church planting efforts in the US and in remote locations in Latin America, East Africa, and Asia, not least of which is his local ministry, Nfluence Church, where he and his wife, Krissy, have been serving since planting the church in 2004.   Additionally, Lucas is known for his work in Hollywood producing films and offering confidential pastoral support to many up-and-coming and established actors and artists. He has directed and produced several nationally released films, including Rodeo Girl, Crowning Jules, and The Penitent Thief, as well as consulted on dozens of entertainment and literary projects. His work has been featured on Netflix, Showtime, Fox, Redbox, Sony, and Pure Flix. Lucas and his wife, Krissy, have been married since 2001 and reside in Granger, Indiana with their Doberman, Kenya. Find out more at https://lucasmiles.org

Explore the filmmaking process with this interview by Phil Cooke with Hollywood film producer Darren Moorman. Topics covered include the producer’s role, financing a movie, advice for screenwriters, and mistakes to avoid early in your producing career. Producer of the Netflix original “Blue Miracle,” “Same Kind of Different As Me” and other films, Darren has produced with Hollywood studios including MGM, Paramount, and Lionsgate and now heads up Reserve Entertainment.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Find out more about Darren Moorman and Reserve Entertainment here: https://www.reserveentertainment.com/ Follow Reserve Entertainment https://www.instagram.com/reserve.entertainment/   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Interview – Darren Moorman, Hollywood Film Producer Darren Moorman is a seasoned producer and the head of Reserve Entertainment. He has worked with studios that include MGM, Lionsgate, and Paramount Pictures. Darren’s debut film was the 2001 feature All Over Again, starring Craig T. Nelson and Academy Award® nominee Robert Loggia. He founded Reserve Entertainment in 2014.    Reserve Entertainment develops and produces high-quality films and television programming that not only entertains but also brings lasting effects on society and culture. Reserve’s first film was with Paramount Pictures, an adaptation of the New York Times’ bestselling book, Same Kind Of Different As Me. The movie starred Academy Award® nominated actors Renee Zellweger, Greg Kinnear, Djimon Hounsou, and Jon Voight. That was followed by the theatrical releases of  Indivisible and Run The Race. Darren also created and produced the television program Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest with Lionsgate. Reserve Entertainment's latest feature Blue Miracle, which stars Dennis Quaid was a Netflix Original, and has had huge success since its release!   His family comedy,  FAMILY CAMP releases theatrically spring 2022, and he is in post-Production on a feature film entitled SIGHT starring Greg Kinnear. Darren and his wife Krista live in California with their two sons, Eli and Zion.   Takeaways from today’s interview with Darren Moorman: -As a filmmaker, I want to tell great stories. I want to entertain and hopefully, they all point to God in some wonderful, wonderful way. -Where you live doesn’t matter anymore, but what does matter is the relationships that you’ve built and how you build them. Very few films are being greenlighted outside of LA or NY. -It won’t be given to us. As filmmakers, we have to do whatever it takes. We’ve got to be willing to put in the work. -For me, writing my manifesto and understanding who I was as a film producer and what God wanted me to do with my life was a defining moment. – Darren Moorman

Are you a directing a multi-camera television or video event? Steven Lester directed Elevation Church’s national television program and livestream services for years, and then launched out on his own. In this interview with Phil Cooke, https://philcooke.com Steven shares his experience as a freelance television and video director and how the important role of a creative director can help churches elevate their media including television broadcasts, in-person services and church online.   Please like, rate and share this video!   Follow Steve Lester on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjlsynergy/ Visit his website: http://www.sjlester.tv/   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook at https://www.philcooke.com   *More About This Episode* Interview: Creative Director Steven Lester Talks About Multi Camera Directing Steve Lester is a creative director based in Nashville, Tennessee producing multi-cam events for churches including Elevation Worship, Hillsong Worship, Jesus Culture, and for musical artists including Kari Jobe, Chris Tomlin, Tasha Cobbs and more. Here are some quick takeaways from today’s interview:   The biggest problem Steve sees with multi cam directors with a church is that they don’t value volunteers enough. He encourages directors to value volunteers and invest in the gift. Steward the people to build a solid team. Create spaces for people to grow and do what they’re really good at. He sees the role of a director similar to “customer service” in the way of determining the pastor and ministry’s vision and then determining “How can I bring my expertise and my art in to serve you well?” Concerning using dollies and steadicams, etc., Steven says, “Don’t let the ‘toys’ influence the way your creativity thinks. If it doesn’t serve the vision, it’s useless… I want the end user to experience God through what I’m showing them.” For pastors who don’t have people to run cameras, Steve encourages them to find a 16-year old, find the volunteers who are eager to learn. They may not be good at first, but it’s better than just capturing a service with a wide shot. They will get better. He encourages his camera operators to be very aware of what God’s doing in the room. Don’t just live in your viewfinder; look to your left, look to your right. Have a situational awareness to capture what’s happening around you. Steven’s prayer as a multi cam director leading a church media team: “Open our eyes to what you’re seeing, God, and help us capture it.”

Why should churches and pastors be concerned about public relations? In this episode, Phil Cooke interviews Johnnie Moore, founder and CEO of The KAIROS Company, and explores why pastors should consider retaining public relations consultants, the biggest mistake churches make in managing a crisis, how to handle controversy and what to do when cancel culture comes to your church. https://philcooke.com   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Follow Johnnie Moore: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnnieOnline Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnnieM The Kairos Company https://Thekcompany.co   “What To Do When Cancel Culture Comes to Your Church” – read the blog here:  https://www.philcooke.com/what-to-do-when-cancel-culture-comes-to-your-church/   Check out the chapter on public relations and crisis management in my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Interview with Johnnie Moore: Public Relations and Crisis Management for Churches and Pastors I’ve always believed that it’s not “if” a crisis will happen, it’s “when” a crisis will happen, and it’s always good to be prepared and ahead of the challenge. As Johnnie said, “Any ministry or church of any reasonable size and influence ought to have communications professionals retained in the same way you hire lawyers, accountants and other professionals.”   Quick takeaways from today’s interview: Most legal and accounting problems come from handling communications badly… or not communicating well. Influence is a gift that God gives to certain leaders, certain institutions. God forgive that you’re arrogant or prideful… you have to manage it. When people know what you’re doing, it becomes contagious. There is a righteous task in telling your story. We should become better storytellers outside of a sermon. Even in a small church, a rural community – a pastor is influential. The most valuable commodity in the world is not oil or gas, it’s trust. When you lose trust, you lose a cherished asset. Everything is controversial to some point… Have a realistic expectation that you’re not going to be popular all the time. If you’re a servant of Jesus, you can’t be a slave to other people’s opinions. You don’t have to have an opinion on everything. As a Christian, you don’t have permission to not love anyone. Concerning cancel culture: You can’t change what you believe. You can’t change who you are. Just dust the sand off your feet and move on.   Johnnie Moore is founder and CEO of The KAIROS Company and President of The Congress of Christian Leaders. He is best known for his work at the intersection of faith and foreign policy and is a Presidential appointee as a Commissioner for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. He has been named one of America’s twenty-five most influential evangelicals. Rev. Moore has authored several books and appeared on numerous television, radio, print, and online outlets to provide analysis and commentary on various topics. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Fox News, and CNN. Read more here: https://thekcompany.co/newsrooms/johnnie-moore/

The pandemic has created a new hybrid church model of a physical church and online digital church experience. In this interview, Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com talks with Jonathan Meisner, Sr. Director of Digital Experiences at Life.Church about building an online community in today’s digital age. Topics covered include building trust online, creating personal connections through live chat, ministry team collaboration, volunteer development, storytelling through inspirational videos, camera setup for live streaming and more.   Led by Senior Pastor Craig Groeschel, Life.Church is one of the largest churches in the U.S. with 36 campuses. Creators of the YouVersion Bible app, they’re passionate about equipping individuals to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Life.Church also offers free resources through the Church Online Platform to equip local churches to take their ministry online.   Find out more at https://life.church.com Download the free bible app and YouVersion devotionals here: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/ Access the free Church Online Platform tool here: https://churchonlineplatform.com/ Find more free resources, training and tools at https://open.life.church/   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* *More About This Episode* Church in the Digital Age: Interview with Jonathan Meisner, Life.Church Jonathan Meisner has served at Life.Church for over a decade leading many of their digital storytelling and production efforts. He’s passionate about discovering ways the church can inspire people towards action through engaging content and captivating experiences. When he’s not serving the church, you’ll likely find him spending time with his wife, Michelle, and their two boys, Truett and Axell, or trying to stay young at his local CrossFit gym.   Follow Jonathan: https://instagram.com/jonathanmeisner https://facebook.com/jonathanmeisner   Here’s some quick takeaways from today’s episode: -Hybrid church: It’s not physical or digital, it’s hybrid. It’s people engaging in both spaces.   -Story is what connects people and helps a story land in a person’s heart.   -Consistency over time is what yields results.   -There’s not a cookie-cutter way to do this [online church]. It all comes back to authenticity and connection.   -It’s tough to do ministry without relationship. The personal connection is incredibly important to Life.Church.   -We don’t recruit volunteers; we release leaders.   -Be okay with leaning into the mentality of adapting to the new digital space… But always work to get people connected to the local church.   -When God calls us to something, we’ve got to be all in.   -We are constantly learning. Assume that posture of learning. Be open to where God’s leading… when you sense the Holy Spirit moving, pour gasoline on that fire. Lean into it because there’s something really special on the other side.

Got talent or great ideas that are not being noticed? Here’s 5 tips from Phil Cooke to get your talent noticed and advance your career. https://philcooke.com It all starts with believing in yourself and the calling on your life.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Get Your Talent Noticed – 5 Tips to Advance Your Career Take action today! These 5 tips can help move your career forward.   1. Invest in yourself. Believe in yourself. Get the tools you need for where you want to go with your career. Get a better computer, camera, lighting gear. Go to the right conferences – and pay for it if your company won’t.   Ask yourself: What are the areas I can be investing in that will help me in my career and calling and move me towards my future?   2. Do it for free. Look for opportunities to volunteer or work for free to help get your name out there. Speak at conferences, get on workshop panels, write magazine articles. Get your work and your voice out there.   3. Take social media seriously. Take advantage of the opportunities on social media. Design your social media to talk about your career, your expertise, your talent. Throw ideas out there and teach people things. Use social media strategically and it will change the way people think of you.   4. Start speaking and writing. Start blogging, podcasting, speaking at events. If you’re not good at speaking, then take a class or read a book to gain that skill. (Check out Phil’s book to find out how to speak to a digital generation.)   And don’t be discouraged if you only have two people listening. That’s two more than you had before. Get your ideas out there.   5. Just do it. What do you want to do? Write a book, produce a movie, become a social media expert? Hone your talent. Create a portfolio, create a demo reel, develop a website. Don’t wait for an agent. Start now and just do it.   Your lack of equipment or budget shouldn’t be holding you back. Get serious about your talent and your calling and get your talent on the radar.

Internships can be a great entry point for high school and college students to work as creatives, especially in the film industry. Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com outlines best practices for making an internship work to advance your career in Hollywood or the city of your choice.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Internships for Creatives As entry points into the film industry or other creative career, the experience you can gain as an intern can be critically important for your career. If you’re considering an internship, here’s eight points to keep in mind:   Remember why you are there: you’re there to get around smart people. You can learn remarkable things if you watch, learn and engage.   Be ready to assist with anything. Get coffee, deliver a script, run errands. Work hard and do it well, bearing in mind that you are not there to be abused or put yourself in compromising situations.   Make it your goal to make yourself indispensable. Whatever it is you do, become indispensable so that at the end of your internship, they realize they can’t survive without you! It could open up a paid job for you.   Remember: You aren’t there to be abused. Determine ahead of time where the line is for you. If you end up in a compromising situation, never allow yourself to be taken advantage of.   Don’t make serious decisions without approval or clarification. Always ask for approval before you execute your “great idea” that could cost the company time and money!   Find an internship in the city you want to live in. Hollywood, Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Chicago… Think about where you want to build your career and intern there.   Consider the logistics. Work out your transportation, housing, and income so you are free to say yes to an internship.   If you’re a Christian, your internship is not just a job, it’s a mission field. Lead with your talent, not with your faith. Make sure they see that first – then the door can open for sharing your faith.

Have you ever wanted to reinvent yourself? In this episode Phil Cooke outlines ten steps you can take to change your life and discover the one big thing God has created you to do. https://philcooke.com Especially in these post-pandemic days, now is time to be intentional about changing careers and your mindset for a major reinvention of your life. It’s never too late!   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook at https://www.philcooke.com Get Phil’s Book “One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do” https://amzn.to/2M2maTr (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Reinvent Yourself: 10 Steps to Change Your Life It’s never too late to change! Phil Cooke offers ten steps to consider if you want to reinvent yourself. Think about what’s working and what isn’t. Be brutally honest with yourself. Don’t get stuck. What you did back in 1989 may have been really cool… but isn’t cool now. Keep moving forward and get unstuck! Think like a freelancer. Have the mindset of a freelancer to find ways to do what you do better or bigger. Keep hustling. Be intentional about connecting with people. Real connecting is about what we can do for each other. Never stop learning. The world is changing at such a quick rate; we’ve always got to be learning and adapting. Get a side hustle, a serious hobby, or multiple income streams. If need be, you can ramp up those side projects into something substantial. Stay plugged into a church. In Hollywood, the Christians who fail are most often the people who never got plugged into a church. It’s never too late. You want to reinvent your life? Know that it’s never too late. It’s okay to say no. Say no to good things so you can say yes to great things. Understand your priorities and what God has called us to do. Be intentional. If you’re going to reinvent your life, you need to be able to see where you want to go. If you’re intentional about it, God will give you that kind of vision to accomplish what you want to do with your life.

Ever wonder how to gain positive publicity for your ministry, book or film project? In Phil Cooke’s interview with senior public relations strategist A. Larry Ross, you’ll find out how to navigate public relations to gain media coverage while understanding the tactics for crisis management. Pastors and ministry leaders as well as filmmakers will benefit from the insight Phil and Larry share to get your story told in media.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Public Relations and Crisis Management for Leaders: Interview with A. Larry Ross CEO and founder of A. Larry Ross Communications, Larry offers specific steps pastors can take to get your story told in media and become a go-to source for news reporters in your community.   Get to know the media people in your community. Help them do their job by bringing them something of interest and relevance to their audience. Be prepared to speak into stories they’re already covering. Become an authoritative resource or source expert for them. Don’t forget the power of an op ed piece. If you have a burning thought on a story they’re already covering, pitch it. Build your digital footprint by using the tools available to you such as social media, online blogging, etc.   Crisis Communications: Phil reminds pastors and leaders that it’s not if a crisis will happen, it’s when will it happen. Every church or ministry needs to understand it could happen and be prepared with a crisis management plan. The question is: Do you want your story out there or live at the mercy of everybody else’s version of the story?   Larry emphasizes that the key is to have a pre-emptive plan in place, which includes a crisis management team, a designated spokesperson, a statement on a per inquiry basis. Acting swiftly is key, along with transparency, without feeling a need for full disclosure.   Larry Ross is Founder and CEO of A. Larry Ross Communications, a Dallas-based full-service public relations firm founded in 1994 to provide crossover media liaison at the intersection of faith and culture. In 2016, he served as Communications Director for Dr. Ben Carson and his presidential campaign.   Ross, whom Newsweek magazine headlined as “Point Man for God,” has more than 40 years of mainstream and Christian corporate, agency and non-profit experience influencing public opinion through strategic PR counsel to organizations and individuals. These include evangelist Billy Graham, Dr. Rick Warren, Bishop T.D. Jakes and many other national and international Christian leaders; and theatrical film releases, such as “The Passion of The Christ.”   Interested in finding out more about book publicity, crisis management or spokesperson training? Contact A. Larry Ross: Email: [email protected] Website: https://ALarryross.com Twitter @ALarryRoss Instagram @thealrc Facebook @ALarryRossCommunications

Every pastor wants to impact their community, but we often forget about the opportunity a funeral, wedding or food drive offers to impact your community simply by serving others. Phil Cooke shares the explicit and implicit types of advertising you can use to market your church and compel people to come back and visit.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Marketing Your Church: Impacting Your Community By Serving Others Communicating the message of your church can be done in a variety of ways. Sometimes the right message at the right time in the most appropriate way can transform somebody’s life. The touchpoints of a wedding, funeral or food drive offer subtle ways to reach your community by providing a memorable experience through serving others.  

The culture you build in your ministry or organization has a direct effect on creativity. If you’re leading creative teams, these 5 keys from Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com will help you establish a creative culture where ideas thrive and your team is motivated to produce their best work possible.   Please Like, Favorite and Share this video!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   *Helping leaders navigate their calling and career in today’s distracted media-driven culture* Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on creative leadership, digital media, branding and marketing strategies, film and TV production – and the faith to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook at https://www.philcooke.com Get Sam Chand’s new book “New Thinking, New Future” https://www.samchand.com/resources#section-1558090508745   *More About This Episode* 5 Keys to Leading Creative Teams In today’s design-driven world, creativity is more important than ever before. If you’re leading creative teams, here are 5 keys to help you build a creative culture where they can thrive.   Create stability. Creative people need stability to thrive. If they’re worried about losing their job, financial problems, or excessive turnover, they’ll never release their best ideas.    Be flexible. Be open to different hours or working conditions for your creative team. Give your team some flexibility and it will revolutionize their attitude.    Get them the tools they need. Don’t hold your creatives back with outdated equipment. Think about it: The less time and energy they spend overcoming technical and equipment problems, the more time and energy they can spend on developing amazing ideas.   Understand the difference between organizational structure and communication structure. Hierarchy is important within your organization, but when it comes to communication, I recommend you throw the organizational structure out the window. Your creative team should be able to call anyone to ask questions and discuss ideas. Create a free-flowing communications system, and the ideas will grow.   Give them credit. A great creative culture allows everyone to be noticed for their accomplishments.  Let them have credit for their ideas and they will do amazing things for your team!   Bonus: Don’t be afraid to push creative people out of their comfort zone! While they probably won’t admit it, creative people love deadlines because it gives them perspective on the project.   Inspire and challenge your creative team and they’ll do amazing things for your organization. Read more about building a creative culture here >> https://www.philcooke.com/ten-critical-keys-for-designing-a-creative-culture/  

Pastors have many responsibilities, but one of the most important priorities for church leaders in today’s digital age should be communication. Here are my 5 communication priorities for pastors to ensure that your message is being heard and making an impact. Engaging the local community, expanding your message, and communicating the message of Christ through digital media channels can be accomplished when you make your communication team a top-level priority.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* 5 Communication Priorities for Pastors in the Digital Age Here’s 5 key decisions that if I were a pastor, would be on my priority list:   Learn how to lead creative people.You may be leading a very small church, but as you grow, you need to surround yourself with creative people. In a world where capturing people’s attention is incredibly important, a great creative team will help you grow.   Target your church website for visitors. Virtually 100% of new visitors will check you out online before they visit on-site. Your website should be one of the most amazing things your church does.Design it around new visitors.   The Sunday message is key for the week. It’s the point of the spear for everything you communicate all week.Never forget this: Whatever theme the pastor is preaching on should be reflected in every communication platform of the church.   Create a research and development lab in your church.If we’re going to make an impact in today’s changing, digital age, we need the courage and support to push the envelope. Encourage your team to worry less about failure and more about creative thinking.   Be ruthless in positioning your team around you.I can’t express how much a creative team can amplify your message and ministry. None of this is meant to minimize the importance of preaching the gospel message, service to the community, or discipling believers. However, none of that will happen if you can’t communicate your message.   The COVID shutdown helped us realize how much your communication team matters. Read more at https://www.philcooke.com/heres-five-communication-priorities-if-i-were-a-pastor/

Interested in a career as a news producer? In this interview, Susan Kroll, 7-time Emmy Award-winning NBC News coordinating producer, shares with Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com what it’s like to be a producer for national network news. In this very competitive field, Susan shares career tips to help you advance in a news job as well as what a day in the life of a news producer is like.   Winner of the 2020 Peabody Award on assignment with Richard Engel, Susan Kroll has coordinated all onsite news network coverage for stories such as the Sandy Hook school shooting, the Boston Marathon bombing, the Paris ISIS attacks and the capture of Saddam Hussein. More recently, Kroll has coordinated the news coverage of special events such as Pope Francis 2016 visit to the United States and the inauguration of President Biden.   Kroll has traveled all over the world to cover stories and live news reports, including the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan. “I believe in what I do,” she says. “In some cases, I believe it’s worth my life.”   Contact Susan Kroll here: Twitter https://twitter.com/suekroll LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-kroll Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamsuekroll Email Susan here: [email protected]   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get Phil’s new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com

Thinking about launching a media ministry from your church? Phil Cooke offers 4 ways to approach naming the ministry for today’s digital age. Whether you’re considering local TV or national broadcast television, a name has never been more important.   Please like, rate and share this episode!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Wednesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* How to Name Your Media Ministry If you’re leading a church or ministry and are involved in a media outreach – social media, website, video, or broadcast radio or TV, the question always comes up: “What should I name the media ministry?” Should it be the same name as the church or main ministry? Should it be named for the speaker or leader? Should it be something else? Whatever situation you’re in, there are 4 ways to think when it comes to naming a media ministry:   Even though many media ministries begin in a church, very few name it after the church because that name only has meaning locally. If you’re thinking about future growth, once the media ministry grows beyond the local area, naming it after the church doesn’t help the marketing. That’s why Joel Osteen’s TV program isn’t called “Lakewood Church” or Jack Graham’s media ministry isn’t “Prestonwood.” We know that’s where it’s produced and they do mention their work there, but there’s little point in naming the program after the local church if your goal is national or international impact.   The second approach is a unique ministry name like “PowerPoint” (Jack Graham) or “Kingdom Connection” (Jentezen Franklin) or “Daily Hope” (Rick Warren). The BEST thing about these names are it becomes easier to eventually pass the baton to a new leader. Once the original pastor or teacher retires, since the media ministry name is not centered on his or her name, it’s easier to make a transition. A few years ago, we helped a terrific TV ministry in Milwaukee do this with the name “Time of Grace.” When the original speaker turned it over, it was much easier to transition to a new generation teacher.   The third option is naming it after the pastor, teacher or speaker. The BEST thing about this option is online searching. When people search through Google or the TV listings, 95% will be searching for a pastor or speaker’s name rather than the name of the ministry. This is the reason Joyce Meyer transitioned from “Enjoying Everyday Life” (yes – the actual name of the media ministry) to making “Joyce Meyer” the primary name. Joel Osteen, Billy Graham, and others are good examples of this approach.   The CHALLENGING thing about this option is succession. We’ve seen this with the difficult transitions many national media ministries have had to walk through with new leaders over the last decade or so.   The FOURTH option is my personal recommendation – combine #2 and #3. Create a name for the media outreach but add the pastor’s name. That way, we have the best of both. It helps people searching for the program by capitalizing on personal name recognition, but since the name is partnered with a ministry name it will help towards a future leadership transition.   Years ago, when I started consulting with Jack Graham, the media ministry was simply “PowerPoint.” Not only was it confusing with the Microsoft software, but it had no real marketability for Jack. So we kept the name “PowerPoint” but prioritized Jack’s name – so it’s now “Jack Graham and PowerPoint” and the URL is jackgraham.org.   Now the question is – which choice feels appropriate for you?

The opportunity for churches to advertise on local broadcast television is enormous and can make a difference in your community outreach and influence. In this episode, media consultant Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com offers practical guidelines for producing and placing TV commercials on broadcast TV to advertise your church or nonprofit.   Please Like, Favorite and Share this video!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Should a Church Consider TV Commercials on Broadcast Television? I’m always thrilled when local churches make the decision to share their story on local TV. In spite of the chorus that “everyone is moving to the Internet,” broadcast television still has a huge audience and I wish more churches had that kind of vision. So if you’re considering buying thirty or sixty second TV commercials, then here’s a few important things to consider:   It all starts with identifying the audience you want to target. I know pastors who are looking for the 20-30 year old crowd, so they advertise locally during Saturday Night Live and similar programs. We’ve worked with a few churches who are focused on reaching men, so they advertise during sports programming. One church client in the midwest advertises on the 6pm evening news because they’re trying to reach more business people.   Depending on that decision, do you want to reach Christians, or non-believers? While we all want to reach non-Christians, even with the larger audience of secular TV stations, your response percentage will be much lower, and their chances of visiting your church pretty small. That’s not to say it’s not worth it, but know the response will be far less with a secular audience.   Advertising on Christian stations or channels will reach a Christian audience, and they are more likely to respond, and probably more likely to visit the church. Plus if you have a very popular Christian program playing before or after your spot (what we call a “lead-in” or “lead-out”), you’ll probably find a huge audience there. Regarding length, generally speaking, if you have a high profile in the community, a :30 spot is fine. However, if you’ve not been on that station before, or don’t have that high profile, I’d consider starting with a :60 spot because it allows you to share more information and allow the audience to get to know you. Then, after a couple of months, you could shift to :30 spots, which are less expensive and easier to find available slots on the station’s schedule. However, if your budget is better for :30 spots, that’s no problem at all. Better to be out there than hidden under a basket.   Regarding WHEN the spots are broadcast, you need to look again at the audience you’re trying to reach. Remember – getting in front of the RIGHT people is more important than getting in front of the MOST people. So pick the types of channels, programs, and times of day that your best potential audience is watching.   Initially, I like the pastor hosting the commercial. That gets your face out there, and connects a personality with the church. After all, they often make the decision based on their reaction to the pastor, so it’s always good for them to see the pastor and hopefully identify with him.   And as always, if you’re serious about moving forward, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Cooke Media Group. We can give you the kind of guidance and advice that will save you money and make an impact.

Hollywood producer and media consultant Phil Cooke shares inspirational career advice and action steps for long term success in your career or ministry. https://philcooke.com Shared first at the 2019 O2 Network Conference at The Bridge Church Denton, this talk includes practical tips from successful people in the film and television industry as well as major ministry leaders to help you finish strong in what God has called you to do.   Please Like, Favorite and Share this video!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Prefer audio? Listen to my Podcast here: https://apple.co/2XbMgDL   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Videos to Watch: Maximize Your Influence – Phil Cooke’s New Book https://youtu.be/Xk4C255iyJs The Power of Serendipity for Creative Teams https://youtu.be/NuYj3fnp0QU 10 Commandments of Starting a Broadcast Television Media Ministry https://youtu.be/T0tfZLqWjsM   Other Great Resources: -Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook at https://www.philcooke.com -Get Phil’s “Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals” https://amzn.to/3m0JRs2 (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   -Find out more about The Bridge Denton and the O2 Conference: http://www.findthebridge.com/   *More About This Episode* Career Advice: Inspiration and Action Steps to Finish Well in Your Creative Career or Ministry “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 NIV   What’s the difference between the people who fail and the ones who have long successful careers or ministry? With input from a number of creative and ministry leaders Phil offers practical action steps to help you have a long-term career. Includes tips from Dick Cook, former Walt Disney Studios chairman, Mark Zoradi, CEO of Cinemark, Ralph Winter, producer of X-Men, Star Trek series and more Hollywood film and television, David McFadzean, producer of Home Improvement, Warren Buffet, Oral Roberts and more!   Write things down. Phil carries several apps, note cards and his own Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals to write ideas down as they come to him.   Default to action. Successful people would rather make a wrong decision than no decision at all. As God told Gideons, “Go in the strength that you have…” Judges 6:14   Be willing to take the hits. Take responsibility for bad ideas, stop blaming God, and move on.   Be ruthless about your time. Dreaming is great, but doing is what increases influence. If God has called you to do something significant in your life, you’ve got to say no to things.   For example, Jesus walked away from certain villages and towns. The power of no can clarify your life in ways you can never imagine.   Stop making decisions. Avoid decision fatigue by delegating and streamlining your decision-making process. The worst thing you can possibly do is make a great decision about something that doesn’t matter!   Discover your one big thing. Discover what you were born to do! It’s not about passion, it’s about figuring out what God wired you to do.   Understand the power of your story. Your story matters and how you integrate that story into your work is going to be the key for your breakthrough in your career or ministry.   Remember, God was willing to sacrifice His Son to win your story back and there’s somebody that needs to hear it.

As the chief creative officer of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Ginger Stache oversees all the creative teams for Joyce Meyer Ministries. In this interview with Phil Cooke, she shares inspiration and encouragement for creatives and producers. https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Interview with Ginger Stache, Chief Creative Officer of Joyce Meyer Ministries Ginger Stache is an award-winning producer and the Chief Creative Officer of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Always a pen in her hand and a smile on her face, she leads the ministry’s media areas including broadcast, online and print with a passion to share God’s love, help the forgotten and elevate the creative level.  She can be seen on Joyce’s programs Enjoying Everyday Life and Everyday Answers and has traveled the world sharing the work of the ministry’s outreach arm, Hand of Hope.   Besides overseeing the creative aspects of the ministry, Ginger hosts Joyce Meyer’s Talk It Out Podcast. Topics in today’s interview include maintaining branding for an organization’s media projects, brainstorming techniques for teams and developing long-term creativity as well as tips for broadcast TV and Christian TV projects.   Follow Ginger Stache: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gingerlstache/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gingerlstache/ Host, Joyce Meyer’s Talk It Out Podcast https://joycemeyer.org/todaysshow/talkitoutpodcast Get Ginger’s new book, “Chasing Wonder – Small Steps Toward a Life of Big Adventures” Available on June 8, 2021 https://amzn.to/39T9LM8

Don’t derail your career! These keys to success from Phil Cooke will help you last the long term as a creative leader. https://philcooke.com Find out what makes people get off track and explore the ways you can finish well and inspire others. Whether you’re in media and communications, the film or television industry, these secrets gleaned from interviews with Hollywood studio executives, producers and directors will help you sustain your career.   Please Like, Favorite and Share this video!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://www.philcooke.com/maximize-your-influence/   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook at https://www.philcooke.com Write it down. Get Phil’s planner! Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals https://amzn.to/2M2ixNo Get “One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do” https://amzn.to/2M2maTr Get “Maximize Your Influence: How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You” https://www.philcooke.com/maximize-your-influence/   (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   *More About This Episode* 8 Keys to Success for a Long-Term Career Start writing things down. An idea, an interesting thought – successful people write it down. Default to action. Be intentional and make decisions quickly. Be willing to take the hits. Own your mistakes and move forward. Be ruthless about your time. Dreaming is great, but execution is how you move things forward. If God’s called you to something great, you need to say no to some things. Start protecting your time. Stop making decisions. Be conscious of decision-fatigue. How many decisions could be delegated to others? What decisions are you making that don’t need to be made at all? Discover your one big thing. Let go of things that hold you back from doing what you are amazing at. Understand the power of your story. Your story matters! Think of how your story could influence and impact the way you work. Understand the power of teams.

The digital revolution isn’t about technology; it’s about changing the way we think. If you’re a pastor or leader, these 5 keys to success from Phil Cooke will help you embrace digital thinking. The future is digital! https://philcooke.com   Please Like, Favorite and Share this video!   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Subscribe to My YouTube Channel and Get More Great Advice https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1 New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: -Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook at https://www.philcooke.com -Stop Giving Advice to People Who Don’t Ask For It --Blog: https://www.philcooke.com/stop-giving-advice-to-people-who-dont-ask-for-it/ --Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stop-giving-advice-to-people-who-dont-ask-for-it/id1439369056?i=1000431617159 --YouTube: https://youtu.be/JrC3sfATDLk   -Philip Yancey’s book, “Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?” https://amzn.to/35eCdoW -Get my book, “The Way Back: How Christians Blew Our Credibility and How We Get it Back”  https://amzn.to/32zptHA   (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   **More About This Episode** Digital Thinking: 5 Keys to Success The future is digital! One of the greatest challenge leaders face today is grasping that the world is changing. You’ve got to rethink everything and start thinking digitally to survive and to continue to influence the world in a positive way.   Here are 5 keys to success to help you navigate this digital generation: Digital thinking is about adaptation, not duplication. You can’t just duplicate what you do in the physical space that you do in the digital space; you’ve got to adapt. For example, churches will do better on live streaming if they are conscious about the viewers on the other side of the camera.   Digital thinking is a two-way conversation; it’s about welcoming feedback. Everything we do digitally needs to pass through that filter.   The early church is a good example of that two-way conversation. They engaged, they interrupted; it wasn’t until much later in history that the pastor became elevated and a church gathering turned into a one-way conversation.   Digital thinking forces you to look outward versus inward. It forces you to look at things from other’s perspective. It’s no longer about how we want to reach our intended audience; it’s how they want to reach us.   Digital thinking means everything doesn’t have to be original; it can be a mashup. Take the best things that work and combine them into something unique!   Digital thinking means the launch is only the beginning. The launch is critical, but digital thinking helps us think post-launch as well!   Start thinking digitally. Embrace change and you can thrive in the digital age.  

Social media is more than communication – it’s ministry! Find out social media trends for ministries and churches as Phil Cooke interviews social media strategy expert, Nils Smith. Find out how to use videos to tell your story, common mistakes churches make (and how to correct them), plus how to use social media to launch your career.  Includes post ideas for an easy Facebook strategy and more.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/b6PtMJ0Xyos   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Social Media Trends for Ministries and Churches: Interview with Nils Smith, Social Media Strategist Nils Smith is the Chief Strategist Social Media + Innovation at Dunham+Company helping Christian ministries around the world accomplish their goals through cutting edge technologies. Prior to joining Dunham+Company, Nils served as the Innovation Pastor at Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas launching the ministry of OnlineChurch.com which reached more than 15,000 online worship attendees weekly and grew and online Facebook community to more than 800,000. Nils is the author of the “Social Media Guide for Ministry,” “The Social Media Guide” and “Crypto for Good.” He lives in New York City with his wife Katie and two daughters, Shelby and Emery. Website: https://www.nilssmith.com/   Follow Nils Smith: https://facebook.com/nilssmith https://instagram.com/nilssmith https://twitter.com/nilssmith

How do you get on the radar and grow if you’re a small ministry or nonprofit? In this episode, Phil Cooke interviews Calvin Smith, Director of Lift Up Jesus, the TV and radio ministry of Shepherd Church and Pastor Dudley Rutherford. Find out the steps they took to grow from a local to a national media ministry that began with a fundraising campaign. https://philcooke.com   Please Like, Favorite and Share this video!   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/30xqOodSyIg   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Read the blog: Church Planters: How Do You Find the First 50 here: https://www.philcooke.com/church-planters-how-do-you-find-the-first-50/   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Fundraising for Emerging Ministries on Broadcast TV: Interview with Calvin Smith Phil Cooke and Calvin Smith discuss the process of expansion from a local to national television broadcast ministry. Here’s a quick overview to help you get started: Be on the same page as the pastor. What are the top 10 cities he would like to broadcast in? Determine your strategy based on ministry goals, places the pastor may have friends in or has preached in, places where his influence is already established in some way.   Fundraise for expansion by engaging with potential donors and supporters. Combine old school as well as new digital ways to connect and share the vision of expansion.   Be consistent. Build trust with potential supporters by letting them know you are in this for the long haul, not just a few months.   Also, remember that it takes time to grow a television ministry and be ready to commit at least a year to a new market. You never know who’s watching or the impact your show can have.   Bonus: Remember that Facebook live is free! If you’re small with a limited budget, Facebook live and even YouTube can be great starting places.   Find out more about Lift Up Jesus with Pastor Dudley Rutherford here: https://www.liftupjesus.com/  

Career changes have become commonplace in today’s volatile marketplace. Whether you’ve lost your job or are considering a job change, Phil Cooke offers tips to help you invest in yourself to have a successful career of your passion or calling. Bonus: if you have a creative career, you’ll especially appreciate Phil’s insight as a Hollywood producer and media consultant. https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/VjztZDwcH5E   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* Staying Power: The Secrets to a Long and Successful Career As a Hollywood producer and media executive, Phil Cooke shares specific tips to help you manage a successful career or career change in today’s market.   Invest in yourself. Take your job and your dream seriously. Get the tools, the resources and the information to expand your knowledge and your skills. And, think about how you’re perceived and dress like where you’re going, not like where you’ve been.   Fix your resume. No matter how secure you think your job is, you should keep it updated.   If you’re in a creative career, that extends to your portfolio, your demo reel and your bio. Hollywood is a story-driven business, so consider what tells your story best?   When creating a demo reel in the film and television industry as an actor, film director or DP: show a finished project. Can you tell a story?   Create an elevator pitch for your career: Who are you? What do you do? Where do you want to go? How will you get there? How can you help them?   Think less about your job title or your business and more about your specific skill. While you’re waiting for your dream project to happen, think of other ways you could use your skill. Have a bigger vision for your life.   Stop talking. Being a listener can have a big difference in your career.   Learn to say no to good things so you can say yes to great things. Start being selective about the projects you do, the organizations you work for.   Understand your zone: where you’re most creative and productive and what time you’re most creative and productive.   Stop with the lame excuses.   Become an expert, an authority in your field. Study and work at it; become the go-to person.   Stop ignoring your story. Integrate your unique past and who you are into what you do.   Books Phil recommends: “Daily Rituals: How Artists Work” by Mason Curry https://amzn.to/3cIzw0T “One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do” by Phil Cooke https://amzn.to/2G6wHuM “Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry and You” available now with a donation of $25 or more to The Influence Lab here: https://www.philcooke.com/maximize-your-influence/  

Too many creative people waste time, energy, motivation and attitude on things that don’t matter. As a result, when it’s time for big ideas, they come up empty. Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com offers 5 tips to help you conserve brain power and think creatively.   Please Like, Favorite and Share this video!   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here:  https://youtu.be/R6g6E2RVWS8   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* **More about this episode: ** Creatives – How to Protect Your Creative Space “White space” matters in design (the idea that too much clutter overwhelms the viewer) and it’s the same in our personal and professional lives. So in order to save your creative jet fuel for when it’s needed, here’s a few things to remember: 1) Avoid energy vampires: Every office has a person who loves to walk in, plop down in the chair, and just talk – they just want to waste time. You know them, so start avoiding them. Nothing sucks the life out of you faster than energy vampires.   2) Cut back on email: If you spend your day answering email, you’re actually spending your day responding to other people’s priorities. Respond only when you have to and make those emails short and sweet.   3) Avoid meetings: Research indicates that most meetings are a waste of time. First of all, question the need for the meeting, and if it’s being called by a superior, ask if you really need to be there. If not, skip it and do some work.   4) Stop rushing: Give yourself some margin and pad your schedule. Having an extra 30 minutes between meetings, conference calls, and other activities allows you to catch up, reflect, and plan.   5) Finally – Guard your creative time: Don’t just assume you’ll have time to write that script, fix the artwork, or make the final video edit. Block it out on your calendar. Priorities matter – especially when it comes to creative leaders. If you don’t get intentional about your own time, other people will fill it up with their projects and priorities.   Read more here: https://www.philcooke.com/creatives-how-to-protect-your-mental-space/

COVID has moved us into the online digital world for conferences, lectures, meetings and teaching. Whether you’re using Zoom or Bluejeans, the digital platform requires a different level of professionalism over in-person classes, lectures or preaching. Phil Cooke offers tips for teaching kids and adults for best engagement and success. https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/VjztZDwcH5E   Get my new book: Maximize Your Influence – How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, and You https://influencematters.com   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   *More About This Episode* How to Zoom: Teaching Online Classes You can be a Rockstar online! Here are Phil’s techniques to help you overcome nervousness and gain professionalism and confidence for your next online event. First of all… -Recognize the distraction factor. Remind your students or viewers to get a notebook and take notes to help keep them engaged and focused. -Eye contact matters. Look at the camera as you speak. -Get in tight to frame your shot.   Set the profile name in your Zoom account. Make sure your name is showing. Choose a quiet location. Plan on a place free of extra noise from kids, dogs or other distractions. Take a look at your background. Does it reflect who you are as a professional? Close all the computer programs for the best internet connection. Lighting is a big deal! Make sure your face is lit and add an extra light if necessary. In Zoom, you can also choose “touch up my appearance” under video settings for a better look. Think about your microphone. Consider an outboard mic for a higher quality presentation. (See link below for what Phil uses.) Frame for professionalism. Get close enough so viewers can see your facial expression for better engagement. Relax and have fun!   BONUS TIPS: Don’t get stuck looking down at your notes. Don’t get caught up in looking at the screen. Login to your even early to make sure everything is working. Check your settings! Download the Zoom app and practice ahead of time. Try different looks and find the environment where you feel comfortable and that best reflects on who you are as a professional. Think “adaptation.” You don’t have to duplicate what you do in the classroom, lecture hall or church sanctuary. Adapt to the online setting.   Here’s My Zoom Equipment: Digital Microphone with Stand: https://amzn.to/3goF5lp Here’s a Light/Webcam/iPhone Stand: https://amzn.to/31npNsY Use your iPhone or if you need an exterior camera, try this web camera: https://amzn.to/3li8QIb With this webcam stand: https://amzn.to/3hE7t4F  (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)

With COVID-19 restrictions in place, fundraising events are going online. Phil Cooke shares key tips on how to take your live physical fundraising event online. Your virtual fundraiser can be successful! https://philcooke.com   Donate to The Influence Lab and get Phil’s new book! “Maximize Your Influence: How to Make Digital Media Work for Your Church, Your Ministry, And You” is available for pre-order here: https://influencematters.com   Find out more about The Influence Lab: https://influencelab.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/IXQH4i9dI6o   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   **More about this episode: ** Successful Online Fundraising If you’re planning on online fundraising event, here’s key points you need to know: Learn to adapt! This is not about duplicating your live physical event, but more about an adaptation of that event. Consider what elements will work best for your online event. Celebrity-driven events may work well for physical event, but you’ll need to consider your audience if you use a celebrity for your online event. Leader-driven events allow the leaders to share the genuine story of what they do. Consider who you are inviting to join you online as you made the decision between a celebrity and a real leader of the organization driving the event. Pretaped or live event: The audience doesn’t typically notice. Do what you feel most comfortable with as statistics don’t necessarily show a difference between the two. Last year’s rundown won’t work. Take the essence and the goals of your event and adjust it for online. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Keep your online event authentic and real. Plan key emotional moments. Show the story of your organization of lives that have been changed because of what you do. As you plan out the event, create one story arc, one overarching story of how your ministry is impacting lives. It’s not about you – it’s about the result of the work you’re doing. That’s what will inspire people to get behind what you do. Keep your event between 1-2 hours. With attention the currency of this moment, determine: What can you present that will be so compelling that it will keep people with you online for the entire event?

Do your creative ideas make people think? Are you playing it safe instead of taking risks with your creativity? Phil Cooke offers 8 checkpoints to help you embrace your creative calling, with tips on meeting deadlines, brainstorming techniques, idea development and pitching. https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/kqoBdaI_Roc   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Get Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals https://amzn.to/2M2ixNo (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   More about this episode: Confrontational Creativity What happens when we value safe creativity over risky creativity? The more we do safe creativity, the more we fall in line and all do the same thing.   Let’s not forget the creativity that force people to think. Here is an 8 point checklist to help you embrace your creative calling with ideas that force people to think.   When was the last time you took a real creative risk? What physical risk have you taken recently – emotional or creative risk to tell the story well? As a creative person, we cannot settle! Push harder, be more confrontational.   Understand that confrontational creativity doesn’t happen by committee. Brainstorming may be good for executing ideas, but not for creating. Radical revolutionary ideas happen when the door is shut and one individual is staring at a blank piece of paper.   Comparison doesn’t ignite radical creativity. Comparison creates copycat creativity! Start delivering what people aren’t expecting.   If you want to get noticed for your confrontational creativity, takes the projects nobody else wants to take and make them rock!   Learn to sell controversial ideas. Learn people skills, how to pitch an idea… how to make your dream their dream, particularly when it comes to unusual or out of the box ideas.   Understand it takes experience to know how far to push a confrontational idea.   Creativity is not about the Eureka moment. It’s about the days, weeks, months, years of preparation that go into making that idea happen.   To make our creativity more provocative, more confrontational – we need to worry less about keeping our job and more about doing an amazing job.   If you have a creative calling, rise up and embrace it. Be the creative person God has called you to be.

Hiring at your church or nonprofit organization? If you’re looking for a donor development or marketing person or even a media producer, hiring from the for-profit world or Hollywood may not be your best choice. Here’s insight from Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com that will help leaders hire well.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/Vt6fq7el9yg   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   **More about this episode: ** Be Careful Hiring For-Profit Employees in the Non-Profit World Read more here: https://www.philcooke.com/hiring_for_nonprofits/ When economic problems hit the business world, or executive careers get in trouble, we often see a flood of people from the business world looking for jobs in the non-profit and religious sector. But before you jump at the chance to hire a highly regarded executive from the for-profit world at your church, ministry, or non-profit organization, here are a few things to consider:   1)  The business models are dramatically different. To switch from selling products retail or wholesale to donor development is a big leap.  It requires a completely different mindset. Just because you successfully ran a division at IBM or Paramount Pictures doesn’t necessarily mean you can transition to non-profits.   2)  Non-profits don’t have the cushy perks businesses have. We turn our own lights off, our benefit plans are smaller, and most important – our resources aren’t as big.    3)  The non-profit world is a calling and career, not just a “bridge” until you get another “real” job. Too many executives think that during difficult times they can just jump into a church or ministry job for the short term.    4)  We work long hours too. But we don’t have the incentive of bonus pay (even overtime), or a car service to take us home after hours.   5)  Sure you did the occasional pro-bono TV spot at the big agency in New York, but every spot we do has a micro or zero budget. Can you negotiate vendors down to nothing, work with college interns, or maintain equipment with rubber bands and bailing wire?   6)  Is there something you’re not telling us? I have trouble believing that if you’re REALLY a successful Hollywood producer or business leader, you actually want to come and work for our church’s media department.    Don’t get me wrong.  I’m thrilled that people value non-profits enough to want to help.  But the truth is, over the last 10 years – and especially during a financial crisis – I’ve seen numerous big time executives switch to non-profits with catastrophic results.    Pastor, ministry leader, or non-profit executive – take the stars out of your eyes.  You work in a specialty field that takes a special kind of experience, discernment, and expertise. Don’t always assume that a Hollywood producer, advertising agency whiz, or former Wall Street hot shot will get it.  Chances are, they won’t.   Maybe we should think the other way around.  If non-profit leaders ran Wall Street, I doubt we’d have so many financial problems to begin with…

Do you feel called to ministry or to start a nonprofit? Phil Cooke https://philecooke.com interviews Ann White, founder of Courage for Life, to talk about her journey from idea to impactful ministry in just five years. Here’s how to take those first steps towards your nonprofit to launch something that could potentially change the world.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/51UCs7WcoN4 Find out more about Ann White and Courage for Life here: https://courageforlife.org/    Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Get the book, “Unique – Telling Your Story in the Age of Brands and Social Media” https://amzn.to/3drrfgF (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   **More about this episode: ** How to Start a Nonprofit Organization or Ministry – Interview with Ann White Ann White reached out to Phil Cooke and Cooke Media Group several years ago to help establish the vision and calling God had placed on her heart. It began with a rebrand and a defining of the “one thing” – the niche – that God had called her to. Now, five years later, Ann’s ministry, Courage for Life, is impacting many lives and opening doors she never dreamed possible.   In this interview, Phil and Ann discuss defining your niche, financing the vision of your ministry or nonprofit, and asking people to come alongside you in this vision. Phil’s four steps to start a ministry are: Find the niche. Find the place God has called you to that nobody else is doing. Understand messaging. The way you communicate the vision is important. Look for that big idea. What is something tha could change the way we reach this culture or how you minister to people? Don’t be afraid to ask people for help, to ask people for support.   Here are some quick take-aways from today’s interview: “If you’re not willing to invest in your vision, I really question the power of the vision.” Phil Cooke “If we let failure stop us, we wouldn’t get anything done.” Ann White “People want to be part of a great vision.” Phil Cooke “Keep your hands open, because if God’s in it and behind it, he’s going to make things happen in ways you couldn’t think of, dream or imagine.” Ann White “If you’re holding back, it’s probably the perfect time to start.” Phil Cooke

Broadcast TV is still a viable way to get your message and story out to the world. Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com offers ten tips to help you launch a media ministry with success. Find out how storytelling, creativity and culturally relevant programming can help you impact the world.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/T0tfZLqWjsM Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   **More about this episode: ** 10 Commandments of Starting a Broadcast Television Media Ministry In most cases, when I receive a call from a pastor, evangelist, or other ministry leader interested in launching a television ministry, their primary concern is usually about equipment. These questions are important, but I’ve discovered over the years that they aren’t nearly as important as these 10 fundamental areas:   #1 – Understand The Power of Telling a Story – Ultimately, no matter what communications medium we choose, that’s all we’re doing – telling a story. The great Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman said “Facts go straight to the head, and stories go straight to the heart.”   #2 – Don’t Feel Everything Has to be Explicit – Don’t feel the obligation to tell the entire salvation, healing, and deliverance story with each program.    #3 – Be in Touch with the Current Culture – Christian producers often don’t keep up with current programming and graphic styles, and I’m amazed at the number of Christian media professionals who never even watch television.   #4 – Make Sure your Financing is in Place – I always recommend that you have six months of funding in the bank before you ever began a media outreach.   #5 – Always be open to change.  The most successful media ministries are ministries who aren’t afraid to change, update, and present a fresh, new approach to an ever-changing audience.   #6 – Have a Clear Focus – Have a clear purpose and focus for each program you do.  If you’re producing a program on the theme of salvation, then every aspect of that program needs to point in that direction.   #7 – Don’t Forget Creativity – Exercise those creative muscles… and do it on a regular basis.  Don’t take the easy way out, either in sermon preparation or program production.    #8 – Don’t Let Your Vision Stop at Preaching – Preaching is a wonderful thing, however, don’t forget other wonderful program ideas – documentaries, movies, children’s programs, news, animation, music, and other formats.    #9 – Don’t Forget Research – I’m convinced one of the most neglected areas of media ministry is research.  Do you really know who’s watching your program and why?  That knowledge should greatly affect what you produce.    #10 – Don’t Underestimate The Importance of Quality – Today’s audiences are more technologically sophisticated than ever, and refuse to watch programs that aren’t up to current standards of quality.  Always remember – stewardship isn’t necessarily saving money, it’s using money most effectively.    I couldn’t write an article like this without urging you to do something else that I believe is absolutely critical for a media ministry – the need for prayer, and to seek the wise counsel of others. If you will stay near the heart of God in your decision making, and seek the help and counsel of both Godly men and women, as well as experienced media professionals, your chances of success will be greatly increased.   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Other Great Resources: Get my “Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals” https://amzn.to/2M2ixNo (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com

Ever think of a brilliant idea in the middle of the night – and forget it by morning? In a day when content is king, here’s Phil Cooke’s favorite apps and tools to help him capture ideas for better organization and increased productivity. https://philcooke.com    Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/KPdmTT5Yr9I   Resources mentioned in this video: Captio http://captio.co/ Things https://culturedcode.com/things/ Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals https://www.philcooke.com/unique-creative-planner/ Field Notes https://fieldnotesbrand.com/ Field Notes Leather Cover https://amzn.to/3e7Vr0X Fisher Space Pen https://www.spacepen.com/ The Pilots Pen https://amzn.to/2zi8le0 Levenger: https://www.levenger.com/   (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on Amazon. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   **More about this episode: ** How to Capture Your Creative Ideas Today, we live in a creative economy, and the best ideas are king. But the problem is, as any veteran creative professional will tell you, ideas are fragile. They often come and go without warning, and if we don’t have a good system for capturing those ideas, then we’ll never benefit from having them in the first place.   After years of different methods, here’s the system I use now. Keep in mind that you don’t have to copy the way I do it – or the way anyone else does it. The important thing is to develop a system that works for you. Apps: I use a mobile phone app called “Captio” for IOS that is pre-programmed with my email address. All I have to do is write the idea down like a text, hit “Send” and it automatically is sent to my inbox.   For a little more organization, I use “Things” as my task list. It’s really a dumping ground for ideas, but it allows me to put them in categories, and convert them to action steps. It’s a fantastic app that syncs via all my devices, and it also provides an email address so I can easily turn an email into a task.   Print: I designed my planner called “Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals” after working with more than 30 similar journals and planners. It features minimal templates so you’re not having to create lists or daily calendars, but it’s plenty open so you’re not spending all day answering stupid questions and filling out useless information.   For total portability, I also carry a small “Field Notes” notebook in a leather case the size of a wallet. I have this on me pretty much all the time – especially when I’m not carrying anything else. I found the leather cover on Amazon, and it comes with a loop for a Fisher Space Pen (which I love for writing in bed or lying by the pool). This particular leather case is a bit thick, so I’m still looking. Let me know if you’ve discovered the ideal thin leather notebook cover this size.   By my bedside, I keep a stack of notepads, as well as “The Pilots Pen.” The pen features a tiny light on the tip of the pen so I can write in the dark when ideas hit in the middle of the night. With this amazing pen, I can write for hours and never wake up Kathleen, or keep from turning on the overhead light on late night flights.   When it comes to organization, that’s another blog post, so stay tuned. The important thing to remember today is that getting things done starts with getting things down.   Read more at https://www.philcooke.com/how-i-capture-ideas-and-why-you-need-to-start/

Storytelling is important in today’s digital age and becoming a more visual storyteller can help you succeed in your career. Whether you’re a speaker, filmmaker or video marketer, Phil Cooke’s https://philcooke.com five storytelling techniques will help you share powerful story-driven media.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/R0RbYbe5wDE   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   **More about this episode: ** 5 Techniques for Visual Storytelling We are a visually-driven generation. Today, toddlers have iPads and play with cameras. We grow up with cameras in our phones, and people document every aspect of their lives. Just as important, more and more creative people are opting for a career in photography or filmmaking.   How can you increase your ability to see what others don’t? How can you capture more compelling shots? Here are several important keys to “seeing” at a higher level:   1) Watch TV or movies with the sound turned off.  With the sound turned off you don’t get into the story, and you start focusing on the shots. Framing, composition, sequence, editing – how it builds the scene. The only condition here is to be sure you’re watching something that was very well directed and captured.   2) Slow down. Slow down. Really look at the people you pass on the street. Notice how the sun hits the side of a building at sunset. Watch people’s behavior at check-out lines. Start to notice, then start thinking about how to recreate those scenes.   3) Go to museums. They are the showcases of the visual.   4) Start using presentation software in your talks. Keynote, PowerPoint – once you become a skilled speaker, visuals can elevate your communication.   5) Experience life.  Most directors today don’t know anything about life because they spend it in front of screens. They haven’t traveled, haven’t experienced difficult jobs, and haven’t been in challenging situations. Go on a short term missions program, hike through Europe, take boxing lessons, or start a conversation with a homeless person. What you experience will transform the way you look at things.   Filmmaking legend Werner Herzog, in his wonderful book “A Guide for the Perplexed” puts it this way:  “The best advice I can offer to those heading into the world of film is not to wait for the system to finance your projects and for others to decide your fate. If you can’t afford to make a million-dollar film, raise $10,000 and produce it yourself. That’s all you need to make a feature film these days.   Beware of useless, bottom-rung secretarial jobs in film-production companies. Instead, so long as you are able-bodied, head out to where the real world is. Roll up your sleeves and work as a bouncer in a sex club or a warden in a lunatic asylum or a machine operator in a slaughterhouse. Drive a taxi for six months and you’ll have enough money to make a film. Walk on foot, learn languages and a craft or trade that has nothing to do with cinema.   Filmmaking — like great literature — must have experience of life at its foundation. Read Conrad or Hemingway and you can tell how much real life is in those books. A lot of what you see in my films isn’t invention; it’s very much life itself, my own life.   If you have an image in your head, hold on to it because — as remote as it might seem — at some point you might be able to use it in a film. I have always sought to transform my own experiences and fantasies into cinema.”   Everyone looks, but few really see. The greatest directors understand the power of a compelling image and how it can impact people. It’s never too early to start.

Social media has become the new “front door” of the church – especially in the aftermath of the Coronavirus. In this interview, Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com and Dave Adamson explore how churches can leverage social media and YouTube to pastor people and connect with their communities.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056 Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/0fZTqJfBH6A   CONNECT WITH ME AT: Twitter: https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to take you from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Website: https://philcooke.com Find out about Cooke Media Group: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Dave Adamson @Aussie Dave Twitter: https://twitter.com/aussiedave Facebook: https://facebook.com/aussiedaveadamson Instagram: https://Instagram.com/aussiedave YouTube: Website: https://daveadamson.tv Email: [email protected] Text: (201) 267-2156 “Chasing the Light” https://amzn.to/3eT7dxr “52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know” https://amzn.to/2VLhVih YouVersion: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/2487-7-hebrew-words-every-christian-should-know   Get organized with my planner: “Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals” https://amzn.to/2M2ixNo (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live. Other Great Resources: Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   **More about this episode: ** How the Digital World is Changing the Church – Interview with Aussie Dave Adamson Here are quick take-aways from today’s interview: --Pastors: Don’t be afraid to leverage the technology of our day. People will find your content when they are searching for answers. --Many churches are using social media as a megaphone for the church when they should be leveraging the technology as a telephone: a 2-way conversation. --Social media offers the power to stay engaged with people through the week. It doesn’t have to be polished or professional, just start using it as a conversation to connect with your community. --Church attendance is not decreasing; it’s decentralizing. --The church is relevant in the community when they are meeting the needs of the people in the community. Having an online presence allows us to do this. Start leveraging social media to impact the community you are in! --Don’t be afraid to use YouTube to reach a generation wandering far from God.

Changing careers at 50 and older can be a terrifying prospect. Whether you’ve been laid off or are taking the risk to move from a dead end job to your dream career, Phil Cooke offers a strategic plan to transition into a new career. https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Get the book “One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do” https://amzn.to/2M2maTr (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/pLGMWlwgJzs   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   **More About This Episode** How to Change Your Career After 50 Things like a changing economy, advancing technology, more (and younger) competition – all can easily keep someone stuck in a dead-end job rather than taking a risk on the career of their dreams. However, even after decades in one direction, it may be time to change.   In my book, “One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do,” I share stories of changing careers later in life, and how it literally transformed those lives. But even people who have discovered their One Big Thing struggle with how to make it happen. Do I leave my current job? Do I go back to school? Do I work on the side? Do I tell anyone?   While everyone is different, and in various stages of life, talent, and career, here are a few things to consider as you start refocusing your future on your one thing:   Be bold, but don’t be dumb. Begin today preparing, strategizing, and pursuing your purpose, but don’t be drastic. Don’t quit the current job until you have a transition plan in place.   Don’t burn bridges. When the time comes to make your transition, don’t make enemies. If it’s a case of leaving your day job, do it amicably. Leaving on good terms can reap a huge return down the road.   Trigger your connections. In the age of social media, you have no excuse for not having a powerfully effective database of relationships and connections.   Keep your résumé updated. It never hurts to keep your résumé, demo reel, or portfolio up to date and evergreen. You never know when the opportunity to pursue your dream will happen.   Finally, brace yourself for the risk. Dreaming isn’t “safe,” and if you’re looking for a sheltered, secure future, then your One Big Thing probably won’t be it. But even after 50, discovering your One Big Thing and then stepping out to pursue it will be the greatest adventure of your life. When that happens, work becomes passion, and you will join the ranks of the very few who have accepted the risk, calculated the peril, and leaped off the ledge. Read more at: https://www.philcooke.com/how-to-change-your-career-after-50/

Working remotely is the safe mode during the Coronavirus crisis and we may never go back to traditional ways of working. Phil Cooke offers 10 tips to help pastors and leaders succeed in what could become the new normal for churches, non-profits and businesses. https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/OgQ-YTsH3pQ   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. – Phil Cooke   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   More about this episode: How to Lead Remote Workers During COVID-19 and Into the New Normal Due to the Corona virus, companies are sending employees home in droves to do their work remotely. But this is the future – it will change work in significant ways. So with that in mind, here are tips from my decades of leading creative teams remotely (and in many cases around the world):   Get to know your people. If you don’t know the people working in the same building, it won’t help when you work remotely.How well do you know your team?   Know the difference between “organizational” structure and “communication” structure.Who reports to who matters, and when it comes to budgets, project approvals, and workflow, organizational structure can be critical. But communication structure is different and needs to be more free-flowing.   Be accurate about your expectations.Make sure everyone knows your expectations and is clear on delivery.   Get your remote workers the tools they need to be productive. Don’t skimp when it comes to tools, software, and platforms for your team.   Make everyone feel welcome no matter where they are.Look for innovative ideas that keep everyone feeling equal and don’t make remote workers feel like second class citizens.     Remember that it’s not just about work.Don’t forget to celebrate birthdays, special anniversaries, etc.  Think of all the ways people create a community and come up with ways you can do that online.   When possible, schedule connection times.Even though they’re working from home, try to design some type of schedule, so you have an idea when everyone is available to communicate.   Encourage employees to create an official work space in their home. Having a dedicated space makes working remotely so much more productive.   Give the employees some flexibility.Family intrusions, unexpected emergencies, schedule changes – all happen regularly to remote workers. So do your best to give them some wiggle room and try to be flexible.   Finally – realize that this is the future of work.A very large group of employees will probably never go back to the traditional office life. So now is the time to think through what systems, processes, equipment, and personnel, do we need to make this work for the long haul? The decisions you make today will help secure your success tomorrow.

Live streaming is the new church mode with social distancing ordinances provoked by COVID-19. Phil Cooke offered this free live webinar to help pastors and their media and communications teams develop an online strategy that is effective and engaging for their congregations and communities. https://philcooke.com   Joining Phil is his Cooke Media Group team including Dan Wathen, Executive Producer; Dawn Baldwin, Lead Strategist; Laura Woodworth, Development Executive; and Victoria Hansen, Production Coordinator.   -Get Phil’s Special Report “Coronavirus and the Church: What Pastors Should Know About Live Streaming and Video https://cookemediagroup.com/streaming/ -Get personalized help for your church’s live streaming from Phil and the Cooke Media Group. Find out more at [email protected]  -Other links mentioned in the video: https://lifewaygenerosity.com/coronavirus   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/IFXuxlLAK3Q Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   More about this episode: Church Online – Maximizing Your Online Worship Experience with Phil Cooke Topics for the webinar include: Best Live Streaming Shooting for Small Screens at Home Before the Service: How to Engage Your Audience Before the Service Begins Pre-Service Planning and Preparation with your Media and Communications Team Casting the Vision: Understanding the Importance of Gathering the Online Community Planning for Your Easter Service Expanding Your Reach: How to Maximize Community Engagement Offline Encouragement for Church Teams during the Coronavirus Pandemic

The Coronavirus pandemic forced pastors to take livestreaming seriously. Phil Cooke shares important tips on how to livestream and maximize online engagement for pastors and their media teams. Free download at https://cookemediagroup.com/streaming or visit https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/BfaI-pWU3w0   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career. Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com   Other Great Resources: Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   **More about this episode: How to Maximize Your Livestreaming Services** Get more in-depth notes at https://www.philcooke.com/notes-on-sundays-live-streamed-church-services/ Church leaders are finally taking live streaming seriously, so to hopefully encourage pastors and leaders to get online and make it more effective, here are the main points to consider before your next online service. Make it easy to find! Whether your building is closed or not, this is the time to make the live stream button BIG and prominently positioned on the home page. Send out a reminder text right before the service starts. Give the earlyviewers something to watch. When the service starts, consider having the pastor begin with a greeting and/or prayer.Do it just for the online viewers and it will make them feel more a part of the church family. If you’re just starting online because you can’t meet in the building, I wouldn’t introduce new worship songs. If you don’t have a live audience, don’t fake it.Talk directly to the camera because that’s where your audience is. It may take a little practice to be comfortable, but it’s worth it. If you have multiple cameras and no audience, you’ll most likely need to move the cameras from their normal positions to maximize the online experience. Focus on creating an intimate space between the speaker and the viewers on camera. Speaking of the audience, during challenges like the Corona Virus, when your church is physically closed, even if you have your staff acting as a small audience I wouldn’t show them on camera. Use graphics!If you have a graphics capability, add scriptures, sermon points, and other notes to help the viewer. So fire up your ProPresenteror other graphics tools and get more helpful information on the screen.

Are you capturing the attention of your community with your message? Here are 5 tips from Phil Cooke to help you engage and share your message more effectively in today’s digital age through branding, social media, website design and more. https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here:https://youtu.be/sNzt15ITd6o   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   More about this episode: Ministry in a Digital Age: 5 Tips for Pastors and Leaders In today’s digital age, if we don’t capture the attention of our audience, we have failed. Here are five quick tips to help you navigate the age we live in and engage your community in a more effective way. 1. Social media… get on it! It’s a powerful way to brand yourself and your message. 2. Your church website is not for members. It’s for visitors! Most people will check out your website before visiting your church so make sure it’s built with them in mind, 3. Remember your church has a brand. What do people think of when they think of you or your church? Be strategic in communicating who you are. 4. Make contact with local media. Become a go-to person when they need an expert. 5. Learn how to lead creative people. Develop a creative culture in your ministry or organization.   For more in-depth help, check out my book “Unique: Telling Your Story in the Age of Brands and Social Media” https://amzn.to/2VNQ8du (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and continue to make content like this.)   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com

In today’s digital age, church communications need to be a priority for pastors. Phil Cooke offers help on leading teams, best church websites, research and development labs and more to help you get your message out to a greater audience. https://philcooke.com   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/hPQrIDc4wFw   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   More about this episode: My 5 Communication Priorities If I Were a Pastor Pastors have many responsibilities, but one of the most important priorities for church leaders should be communication. After all, “preaching the gospel” is a primary task, and if your message isn’t being heard or making an impact, then what’s the point?   With that in mind, here are five key decisions that if I were a pastor, would be on my priority list:   Learn how to lead creative people.You may be leading a very small church, but as you grow, you need to surround yourself with creative people. In a world where capturing people’s attention is incredibly important, a great creative team will help you grow.   Your church website should be primarily focused on potential visitors.From my experience, virtually 100% of new visitors will check you out online before they visit. Make it incredibly easy on your site for a new visitor to find out who you are, where you are, what time your services begin, and why they should visit.   Understand that your Sunday message is the point of the spear for everything you communicate all week.One of the biggest challenges I find in churches is that the pastor preaches a message in the pulpit, but then the church’s social media tells a different message, the website tells another message, and the email blasts or print pieces tell still another message.    Never forget this: Whatever theme the pastor is preaching on should be reflected in every communication platform of the church. Redundancy builds trust and drives the message in deep. When you aim all your communication guns in one direction it makes a huge impact, so get everyone on the same team, and get them following the lead of the pastor.   Create a research and development lab in your church.An R&D lab is about trying new ideas, experimenting, failing, and learning from failure. If we’re going to make an impact in today’s changing, disruptive culture, we need the courage and support to push the envelope. Fail fast, so you can get back on the right track.   You never know what will create a breakthrough until you give it a shot so start encouraging your team to worry less about failure and more about creative thinking.   Be ruthless in positioning a team around you.I can’t express how much a creative team can amplify your message and ministry. The problem is, most churches put very little effort into selecting the members of that team. Hire slow and fire fast.    Remember that the stakes are high, and to maximize your calling and ministry, you need the best people in the right positions. Stop trying to scrimp and save a few bucks, and stretch to find the right people. You won’t regret it.   None of this is meant to minimize the importance of preaching the gospel message, service to the community, or discipling believers. However, none of that will happen if you can’t communicate your message. I’d love to know your reaction to my priorities…   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Other Great Resources: Increase your productivity with my“Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals” https://amzn.to/2M2ixNo (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com

Filming on location? Find out what Hollywood filmmakers can’t live without. Producer Phil Cooke https://philcooke.comshares his essential list and what other directors and producers (including X-Men producer Ralph Winter) keep in their location film kit.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/MQtUIHoxaks   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   More about this episode: 3 Things You Need When Filming on Location Over the years, I’ve produced and directed programming on location in more than 60 countries around the world.  For producers, directors and any film crew that spends lots of time on a film or video set – particularly in far away places – there are certain things you just don’t leave behind.  Filmmaking novices could do well to learn what more experienced filmmakers consider “must have” items during a shoot.     For me?  The top 3 would probably be my laptop (I’m always writing), a raincoat, and a great bag.  In fact, I’m a little obsessive about bags and have way more than I should.  But on location, a bag is my office, so I’m not afraid to spend money for one that does what I need. So I asked some other experienced professionals what were the top 3 absolutely “must have” items they take to every location.     Here’s a few answers: From Stu Hazeldine, Director of the upcoming feature film “The Shack:”Script in a leather binder. Director’s Viewfinder. Blundstone boots. From Lisa Swain, formerly Production Coordinator on films like “Big Fish,” “Anger Management,” and “Face/Off” and now Associate Professor of Cinema at Biola University:   Sharpie. Swiss Army pocket knife. Chapstick.   From Korey Pollard, Assistant Director of “House,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Nashville,” “CSI,” and “Monk:” Charlie Peacock’s West Coast Diaries. My Bible. AA meeting list.   And when I asked Ralph Winter, Producer of films like “X-Men,” “Wolverine,” “Planet of the Apes,” “The Promise,” and “Altered Carbon” from Netflix, he couldn’t stick to 3 items, but since he produces $100 million plus movies in all kind of challenging conditions, I let him explain: From years of traveling, I build several “go” bags, that are always ready. Probably too much to explain here. But for instance: Snow bag: heavy gear, sweat shirts, sweaters, hats, gloves, boots, various levels of socks, scarves, etc. Hockey size bag, good to –20 degrees. Ready for Fedx with manifest to any country. Computer gear: backup laptop updated exact copy of working laptop; backup drives (3); various cables, power supply for apartment, office, trailer; Apple TV; older but spare Apple Extreme for use in apartment; Blu-ray NTSC drive with USB for laptop (otherwise a problem in countries like Spain, which are PAL); computer repair tools (several packets). Phone gear: separate iPhone 6+ for local sim card (everything else syncs with iCloud and iTunes); phone repair tools and various covers. Passport, Global Entry, Nexus cards; local currency which I have built up over the years; never know when you need cash for taxi, or a favor. Reduce wallet size: I take only specific credits cards that I will use on location, leaving others at home so they don’t get lost. Cards in my wallet I make of and keep copy in office and home, in case of loss. Always carry a pocket knife (good site for this is www.everydaycarry.com ) but this is in packed luggage of course, along with cigar lighter, cutter, etc. – Ralph Winter Everyone’s list is worth considering.  What are the 3 things you can’t live without on a shoot?   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Other Great Resources: Ralph Winter’s suggested website: https://everydaycarry.com Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   Get my “Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals” https://amzn.to/2M2ixNo (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com

If you aspire to a career as a DP or cinematographer, Phil Cooke’s interview with Hollywood DP and producer Stephen Ashley Blake will take your career to a new level. https://philcooke.com Gain detailed information from these seasoned Hollywood professionals that will increase your skill level and help you maintain your integrity in Hollywood.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/hrB8f-_jckc   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   More about this episode: Stephen Blake Interview: Hollywood Director of Photography In this interview, Stephen Blake speaks to the learning disciplines and processes of becoming a good DP, including lighting, studying the masters, leadership on set, as well as maintaining good character in your career.   Stephen Blake was drawn to media at a young age. He interned for Oscar and Emmy Award winning producer Arnold Shapiro at Goden West Broadcasters when only 17 years old and was working as a director of photography by age 22. Today, he leads Realm Entertainment, a company passionate about telling stories that captivate the world. Find out more about his current project “Steal Away” here: https://realm-entertainment.com/projects   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Other Great Resources: Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com Get the book “The Making of Gone with the Wind” https://amzn.to/30upaM2 Get my “Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals” https://amzn.to/2M2ixNo (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com

Billboards are a powerful marketing strategy in today’s digital age. Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com shares the story of how billboards created a front-page sensation when Joel Osteen took over Lakewood Church and how you can utilize it for your church or non-profit marketing.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here:https://youtu.be/DjSnJKR5FL4   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   More about this episode: Billboards are Back! What Churches Can Learn from the New Advertising Trend Years ago, billboards were all the rage for businesses around the world. While billboards date back to ancient Egypt, they really came alive in America back in the 1950’s when vacations by car became so popular. Churches eventually jumped on the bandwagon, but in the digital age, churches have shifted advertising to online platforms.   But according numerous sources, businesses are betting big on billboards once again.  In fact, in 2019, it’s the only major non-digital category in advertising that’s growing. The irony about all this is major technology companies like Netflix, Alibaba, and Google are all investing in billboards.   So what do they know that churches should know?  It appears that in today’s cluttered digital era driving a car is one of the only times during the day when we aren’t staring at screens – which means we’re starting to notice billboards again. Sure we can listen to music or podcasts in the car, but when it comes to our visual attention, billboards are making an impact. (Except for those idiots who text while driving).   And the advertising impact is pretty high for billboards: they cost an average of $5.22 for 1,000 impressions — compared to $7.91 on Instagram or $17.67 on TV. Plus today, we have the advent of “smart” billboards that can aggregate data from multiple sources, and use digital screens to update information. The bottom line is that it may be time to re-think using billboards to help remind people that your church is pretty awesome! Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when theygo live.   Other Great Resources: Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  How the Cooke Media Group team of experts can help amplify your message: https://www.cookemediagroup.com

As a leader, are you surrounding yourself with millennials? It might help you reach the next generation, but you may be missing out on the benefits and wisdom of the baby boomer generation. Phil Cooke https://philcooke.com helps you dial down on ageism and rethink the value of the older generation in your workforce and on your ministry team.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/ERxsIR6BRC0   Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   More about this episode: Stop Obsessing Over the Next Generation Obviously we want to reach everybody with the gospel, but the truth is, a significant number of pastors and Christian leaders are overly obsessed with reaching young people – especially when it comes to hiring a team. But in our relentless pursuit of younger people, I think we’re forgetting the audience that could make a remarkable difference right now.   From that perspective, here’s why I think we need to dial down “ageism” in the church, and learn to welcome – even pursue – older people: The older generation are still the kings when it comes to giving.A 2018 Federal Study found that millennials compared to previous generations have ‘”lower earnings, fewer assets and less wealth.”   Understand they’re not just “older,” they’re experienced.They’ve been there and done that. Challenges that seem so large to younger people are often nothing to the older crowd. They’ve already been through it and know how to solve the problem – and if they don’t have the answer, the challenge doesn’t scare them.   Office politics and competition mean much less to older employees.People who have had long careers are generally more easy going and easy to get along with than younger people.   Older employees aren’t as expensive as you think.In fact, many are more than willing to take a pay cut in order to find a great job where they can still contribute.   One thing worth mentioning is that the baby-boom generation actually knows more about changing the world than anyone on the planet.Remember that the world has bent to their will since they were born. Because of their size, they shifted the thinking on everything from lifestyles to entertainment, politics, religion, and more.   And don’t forget that older people today aren’t really old.Even people in their 70’s today were part of the rock and roll generation, which means they’re not as stuffy and closed minded as you may think.   With that in mind, here’s what I’d recommend you start doing today: Be intentional about including older candidates in your job searches.There’s an incredible amount of skill, talent, and experience out there, and by excluding that group, you’re only hurting yourself and your organization.   Think in terms of “teams” and encourage old and young to work together.You can still keep younger people in charge of teams or departments, but make sure there’s an older employee nearby to offer advice and counsel.   We’ve always been big on internships, but think more about using older employees to mentor a younger team member.   We want to value the spark and original ideas younger people bring to the table. However, don’t let that obscure the fact that more senior members of the team have a lifetime of experience and will help know which ideas might work and which might not.   And finally, take the time to learn who the “older” generation really is.   Every age group has it’s strengths and weaknesses, so we need to look for the all-stars across the board. When we do that, everyone will benefit, and we’ll make the biggest difference in the culture.   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com

Considering moving to LA? Shun Lee Fong offers tips for actors and creatives for a successful move to Hollywood in this interview with Phil Cooke. https://philcooke.com As a lawyer, SAG-AFTRA actor, and director of the Hollywood-based Greenhouse Arts & Media, Shun Lee offers a unique Christian perspective to the film and television industry.   Subscribe to My Podcast for more good advice for leaders and creatives: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/phil-cooke-podcast/id1439369056   Prefer video? Watch the YouTube edition here: https://youtu.be/FEaZg4L-kcc Do you have a message or story the world needs to hear? As a Hollywood producer and media consultant, I offer advice for leaders and creatives each week on filmmaking, digital media, publishing, strategy, communication, leadership, culture and faith – to help you get from where you are to where you want to be in your career.   More about this episode: Shun Lee Fong Interview – Moving to LA Successfully Do you need to live in LA to be a working actor? Phil Cooke discusses the ins and outs of navigating life and career in Hollywood with Shun Lee Fong in this inspiring and insightful interview. Find out the mistakes that many people make and learn the secrets to success as an actor, filmmaker, producer – or any type of creative interested in the film and television industry.   Shun Lee Fong is the president and creative director of The Greenhouse Arts & Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit creative arts organization, and sits on its Board of Directors. He is also the CEO and creative principal of Genuine Productions LLC, a media and entertainment production company with an emphasis on both original and client-based film, new media and publishing.   Shun Lee graduated summa cum laude from Creighton University with a degree in journalism and mass communications. After obtaining a Juris Doctorate at the University of Iowa, he practiced law for five years in Nebraska and Iowa, focusing on civil litigation, corporate transactions, intellectual property and media law.   In 2003, he left his law practice to pursue professional acting, writing, and other creative opportunities. Since then, he has performed in a number of productions in film, theater, commercial, voiceover, and print, and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild-AFTRA. He has spent significant time on stage and in the recording studio as a songwriter and multi-instrumental musician. He also has written a number of screenplays, articles and other works and is an often-requested speaker.   Shun Lee is the author of The Saints & The Poets, a book of essays on creativity, leadership and faith. He has taught classes on mass media and entertainment law, film distribution and marketing, and negotiating strategies for the graduate and undergraduate programs at a number of universities, including Creighton University, John Paul the Great Catholic University, Regent University and Lipscomb University.   Follow Shun Lee: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shunlee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shunleefong/   Follow The Greenhouse: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenhousearts/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/greenhousearts/ Find out more about The Greenhouse at https://greenhouseproductions.com   Schedule: New episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday. Make sure to Subscribe and hit the Notification bell to be notified when they go live.   Other Great Resources: “The Saints and the Poets” by Shun Lee Fong available here: https://amzn.to/2sVrhfn   Get my “Unique: The Ultimate Planner for Creative Professionals” https://amzn.to/2M2ixNo (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel and allows us to continue making videos like this. Thank you for the support!)   Sign up for my blog and get a free eBook on creativity at https://www.philcooke.com   Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven’t already at https://www.youtube.com/c/philcookeofficial?sub_confirmation=1   Follow me: Twitter https://twitter.com/philcooke Facebook https://www.facebook.com/philcookepage/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/philcooke/ Podcast https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/philcookes-podcast/id1439369056  Find out about Cooke Media Group here: https://www.cookemediagroup.com