Announcing OUTSPOKEN

UPDATE: Outspoken has now shipped! Visit OutspokenBook.com to learn more! 

Less than a month ago an idea was born.

I bought a domain, sent a few emails, and the rest has been a crazy journey that only God could have orchestrated.

While there are a number of great books and resources available for church communications directors, they often offer a very narrow or limited view of what can be an intricate subject. Church communications is now a wide umbrella that encompasses a broad range of disciplines including print, media, branding, design, web, social media, online communities, and much more.

The need is great but solid resources are few and far between.

Two years ago I was approached by an editor to write a book about my experience doing church communications, and I began the process of putting together a manuscript. While things seemed to be coasting, the economy began to take a slump downward and the idea was quickly shelved.

Well, about a month ago a fire was rekindled under me to make a book happen [credit to Scott Belsky’s Making Ideas Happen and Seth Godin’s Linchpin]…only this one would be different.

I felt there was need for a more holistic resource that would pull from the collected wisdom of many to create an indispensible resource for church communications leaders to help them clearly and effectively communicate the Gospel. Rather than one sole voice, I wanted to help create a conversation.

I’m thrilled to be the first to let you know the idea has become a reality and it’s happening… in partnership with the Center for Church Communication, I will be releasing OUTSPOKEN: Conversations on Church Communications.

Well, it’s not just me doing the writing… it’s me and over 50 friends including:

Kem Meyer – Granger Community Church
Dawn Nicole Baldwin – AspireOne
Greg Atkinson – gregatkinson.com
Michael Buckingham – Holy Cow! Creative
Shawn Wood – Seacoast Church
Scott Hodge – The Orchard
Ben Arment – Story, Whiteboard Sessions, Dream Year
Leonard Sweet – best-selling author, professor at Drew University
Phil Cooke – author of Branding Faith
Tony Morgan – TonyMorganLive.com
Jon Acuff – Stuff Christians Like
Will Mancini – auxano, author of Church Unique
Tony Steward – LifeChurch.tv
Charles Lee – Ideation
Cynthia Ware – Center for Church Communication
Blaine Hogan – Willow Creek Community Church
Daniel Decker – Higher Level Group
John Dyer- donteatthefruit.com
Rhett Smith – RhettSmith.com
Scott McClellan – COLLIDE Magazine
Katie Strandlund – CautiousCreative.com
Jason Widney – Park Community Church
Matt Knisely – Lawton First Assembly
Nathan Davis – Destiny Christian Center
Phil Bowdle- West Ridge Church
Jesse Phillips – CATALYST
Kent Shaffer- ChurchRelevance.com, YouVersion.com
Katie Moon – Fellowship Church
Kevin Hendricks – Center for Church Communication
Corbyn Tyson – monvee, Heartland Community Church
Curtis Simmons – Fellowship Technologies
Eric Murrell – Long Hollow Baptist Church, MediaSalt.com
Cleve Persinger – The Chapel, MediaSalt.com
Matthew Paul Turner – JesusNeedsNewPR.com

I’m just getting started!

John Saddington – North Point Ministries
Jay Argaèt – Hillsong Church
Maurilio Amorim – The A Group
Danielle Hartland - Grace Church
Jim Gray – Mission Igniter
Lori Bailey – LifeChurch.tv
Vin Thomas – VINTOM.com
Justin Wise – BeDeviant.com
Sam DuRegger – theomusings.com
Blair Farley – Mariners Church
Jeremy Scheller – The Sanctuary Covenant Church
Jan Lynn – TheViewfromHer.com
Steve Fogg – Crossway Church
Clint! Runge – Archrival
Jennifer Schuchmann – WordstoThinkAbout.com
Kerry Bural – The Resonate Group
Jeremy Sexton – National Community Church
Michael Forsberg – Jarbyco
Bobby Chandler - Sugar Creek Baptist Church
Vince Marotte – Gateway Church
Denny Weinman – Sugar Creek Baptist Church
Josh Burns – Park Community Church
Dawn Bryant – bloom
KC Walsh – Willow Creek Community Church
Rich Kirkpatrick – Sunridge Community Church
Cameron Smith – Christ’s Church of the Valley
Gerry True – Oak Hills Church
Josh Cody - Center for Church Communication

Added July 21:
Dave Blanchard – IDEO
Joshua Blankenship – NewSpring Church
Bianca Juarez – InTheNameofLove.org
DJ Chuang – Worship Leader Magazine
Drew Goodmanson – MonDev/Ekklesia360
Paul Steinbrueck – OurChurch.com

…and more to be confirmed!*

OUTSPOKEN will be a collection of short essays by each contributor focusing on various areas that encompass church communications. It will offer practical ideas and insights from some of the people who are shaping and changing the way churches communicate. Some faces are familiar, some are new, but they all represent a unique mix of churches and backgrounds that will inspire and challenge you to change the way you do communications.

OUTSPOKEN will be self-published and available for purchase online as a downloadable PDF. Print copies will be available for purchase through Amazon. We’ll also be working to make it available in Kindle and iBook format.

Release date is to be determined, but we’re aiming for early winter.

Follow the OUTSPOKEN journey on twitter @OUTSPOKENbook or “Like” it on Facebook to stay up-to-date! Watch for more updates, the website launch and more!

*  These individuals are currently slated… the official lineup could change!

• twitter.com/timschraeder timschraeder

  A week ago we announced @OUTSPOKENbook and today we’ve added five more contributors! bit.ly/OUTSPOKEN

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/rhetter rhetter

  Announcing OUTSPOKEN // excited to be a part of this project. thx @timschraeder, bit.ly/b929Ha #fb

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/paulsteinbrueck paulsteinbrueck

  RT @OUTSPOKENbook: Just added @BiancaJuarez, @djchuang @dave_blanchard @dgoodmanson @blankenship & @paulsteinbrueck! bit.ly/OUTSPOKEN

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/BiancaJuarez BiancaJuarez

  Excited to be contributor for @OUTSPOKENbook! Thanks to @timschraeder for his benevolent endeavor! Check it out: bit.ly/OUTSPOKEN

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/KerryBural KerryBural

  Check out bit.ly/OUTSPOKEN to learn more about @OUTSPOKENbook, a new book on church communications.

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/bobbychandler bobbychandler

  Excited about OUTSPOKEN – a new book for church communications leaders – bit.ly/aDTD3g via@timschraeder

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• www.timschraeder.com/ Tim Schraeder

  Thanks for spreading the word!

  This comment was originally posted on Bawlby

• twitter.com/ccarmichael ccarmichael

  I can’t think of two more different things that share a name: bit.ly/c63j8j & bit.ly/I4KNc (cc: @saffyre9)

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/LisaBarone LisaBarone

  RT @ccarmichael I can’t think of two more different things that share a name: bit.ly/c63j8j & bit.ly/I4KNc [haha cc @sugarrae]

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/saffyre9 saffyre9

  RT @ccarmichael: I can’t think of two more different things that share a name: bit.ly/c63j8j & bit.ly/I4KNc #outspoken

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/mdenny mdenny

  RT @ccarmichael: I can’t think of two more different things that share a name: bit.ly/c63j8j & bit.ly/I4KNc (cc: @saffyre9)

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• twitter.com/mattknisely mattknisely

  Submitted my @OUTSPOKENbook submission. Excited 4 this project. To learn about a new book on church comm click here bit.ly/OUTSPOKEN

  This comment was originally posted on Twitter

• www.mattknisely.com mattknisely

  Tim. Really excited about this project and humbled to be apart.

• www.electricurrent.com Brian Klassen

  What a great idea. God bless as this comes together.

• www.Thinke.org Matt Brown

  Looking forward to reading this!!