Confession. I’ve had a lifelong envy for a gift that many Senior Pastors share—the gift of oral storytelling.
The spoken story has continually formed and transformed who we are as a species. From primitive people huddled around a fire to an indigenous tribal gathering to Pastors and Presidents, examples abound. I learned at the feet of men who served under Walt Disney, who has been called one of the greatest storytellers of the 20th century.
One of the reasons that I resonate with Disney and his legacy is that, like me, Walt was not born with the gift of oral storytelling. This Midwestern farm boy was never quite comfortable speaking in public. So he actively relied on emerging technology and media to help him reach a larger audience. Part of his leadership genius was to have the humility and self-confidence to surround himself with better artists and architects than himself to tell stories on bigger and bigger canvases, from cartoon strips to the big screen to immersive theme parks and even to the scale of an entire city.
From my decade at Disney, I learned that story could and should move beyond what people receive once seated for “the show.” I have been humbled to serve alongside some of the greatest storytellers of our generation, from George Lucas to pastors such as Rick Warren and Max Lucado in telling stories across 3 dimensions.
- Brand / Identity
- Media / Virtual Presence
- Space / Physical Presence
The foundation of your story is more than a logo or a color scheme. It is more than a “brand standards guide.” At PlainJoe, we’ve developed a facilitated story articulation process around the use of 3 “Story Circles.”
Each circle represents one of the defining foundations of your story:
1) Characters
A good missionary would do well to start off by being a cultural anthropologist. We employ sophisticated tools to understand both the uniqueness of your tribe as well as psychographics and demographics of your mission field—identifying opportunities and gaps along the way.
2) Setting
God called prophets to a particular people and a particular place. What is the unique “soil-specific” context that you have been called to? I have learned that distilling the unique sense of place in a way that celebrates and resonates always trumps a rubber stamped corporate identity that is the same across “The United States of Generica.”
3) Plot
What is it that keeps your story moving forward? What is the holy discontent that fuels the fire of personal vision for you and your leaders? Understanding where you’ve been and where you’re going is critical to ensure the story, and the creative output, supports your strategy and goals.
It may seem simple, but asking who (Characters), where (Setting), and why (Plot) gets us to the “what” of your story.
Once we articulate the “what” of your story, it can and should inform every design decision, from branding to building.
For example, I just returned from Perth, Australia where we have supported Pastor Dean Groetzinger through this entire process, starting with a renaming to “True North Church.” The story summary is as follows, and it integrates each of these foundations.
“At the edge of the Indian Ocean and an isolated continent, there is a generous and courageous people, a tribe of believers who are on a journey to passionately pursue His presence. In this place, called True North, this band of believers gathers around the fire to creatively share real stories that awaken Wanderers from “The Dreaming” and allow them to belong.”
This story — which references an Aboriginal worldview — will be the foundation for every one of thousands of design decisions, from the monument sign to the landscape and hardscape of the central “Compass Court” and the detailing of the support columns of the new worship center.
