Leading & Inspiring Creatives with Stephen Brewster
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Stephen Brewster talks about what he does to create a more healthy culture for artists and creatives in the church.
Help artists find where there identity lives, not in what they're making, but who God is making them. Share on X
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Show Notes
Nuggets of wisdom from Brewster that I wrote down:
- Leading creatives by casting a compelling vision, tell them why, and what is expected of them, and then get out of the way, check in every once in a while, then get to the end and hold them accountable.
- Inspire them, protect them, clarify the win, hold them accountable to the win.
- Find one thing a week that inspires you, and do "show and tell" every week to propel your team's creativity.
- Start pouring into the true identity of your artists and volunteers, and when they know they can trust you and you are going to protect them, they are way more open to critique.
- Leading creatives is about health, it’s not about product. When you create healthy environments for creative people to thrive, then products follow.
- Have direct reports in the 4-6 range. Brewster is always available to the entire team, but he really tries to invest the best of best into those people to get their best out of them.
- You have to cast more vision than ever when you are leading volunteers. You constantly have to cast vision. You have to have really clear values and rules of engagement.
- Values and vision are vital. Values create how we do what we do. Vision creates why we do what we do. And vision leaks really really fast.
- The smaller a team is, the more empowerment you have to create and the more delegation you have to give.
- Over communicate in an effort to communicate well.
- Tips for pastors who want to change things up/get something fresh: Make sure you know who you are audience is. what you program for is who you are going to reach.
- Sundays are to the top of the funnel, that is when you attract the most people that don’t know what you do or why you do it. When that becomes your lens, everything you do in programming, every word you say, every song you sing, every transition you create has to do be done to explain to somebody who has never been there before what you are doing.
- Remove distractions, make sure your transitions are well rehearsed, make sure your songs are accessible to people. Make sure you are targeting the demographic.
In communication we want broadcast and really the power is when we start to whisper. @b_rewster Share on X
SIT WITH ME CARD
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Stephen Brewster and his team at Real Life Church share their "Sit With Me" card that they use to encourage people in the church to invite their friends to sit with them.
Amplified Impact Round
Q: What’s the #1 thing any new church communication director needs to know?
A: Cool doesn’t matter as much as you think it does, connectivity to the pastor matter more. Connect the context and then make it cool.
Q: What’s the best thing you’ve done to attract new visitors to church?
A: Things that meet a felt need. Family night. Doing ministry in the community.
Q: What’s the most important aspect of a church communication strategy?
A: Clarity. It has to be clear and it has speak the language of your church or community.
Q: Any tips for planning or promoting sermons/series?
A: Start talking about it, equip your attendees to share it with other people, and make sure it is applicable (it meets a need that someone has), and equip them with a tool to bring someone back with them.
Q: What’s your favorite tool for ministry?
A: Willow Creek Leadership Summit Next app, Apple Music and the Flipboard app
Q: What’s the best way for a church to utilize social media?
A: Facebook, it's walmart, it's where the most people are. Start sharing the culture and stories, and influence of your church on Facebook. Don't just tell people about your church, tell them things they can get value from your church so inspire them, encourage them, edify them and then work in some information.
Reach Out
You can reach out and thank Brewster via his website stephenbrewster.me or at b_rewster on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
Suggested Guest
Brewster suggested that I interview Phil Bowdle next.
Links
- Sit With Me promo card
- Extreme Ownership book
- stephenbrewster.me
