When It Creates Buzz...

I was at Border's studying the other night. I arrived there kinda late, a little after 8, I think... and there were a a bunch of kids hanging around an open area with mics/speakers/etc. I thought it was some kind of "Open Mic Nite". But as time went on, and it was getting later, instead of the young crowd thinning out, more and more kids were arriving! They were excited, LOUD, and the air had a sense of "electricity" to it. As closing time came and went, I relished in the fact that I could continue reading without anyone kicking me out... but I was intrigued... "What has these kids (and their parents) out this late (it was now after 11pm)? And why isn't the store closing?"

Well, instead of asking someone, I just kept reading (had a lot to do)... and finally I decided to go purchase the book I had been reading. But when I got to the line... GOOD GRACIOUS MODACIOUS! There were about 200 teens and young adults in line ahead of me! (the pictures don't do the line justice) So, finally I ask what the deal is... and apparently it's the night of the release of Stephenie Meyer's new book, Breaking Dawn... and these young people are determined to get a copy! I'd never heard of Stephenie Meyer... but I've since learned that she is the author of the very popular Twilight series, a teen/young adult book series about vampires. Whoa. I'm impressed. Not so much of the books' content, but that it could generate this type of buzz with these young people!

I drove home thinking, "Wow... the church has the greatest message in the world, but most of us (churches) aren't generating that kind of buzz!" We can do better... we must do better! We have to compel them to come in... it's Jesus' mandate!

So, this Saturday, from 1-3pm...at Rita's in College Park (for directions, click HERE)... we'll be creating buzz by giving away free Rita's gift certificates to the first 150 customers who show up! And somebody will win A FREE iPOD! Has it been done before? Probably. But not here in College Park... and not with our church! Will some blast us for "using shenanigans"? Maybe. Will we be called "gimmicky"? No doubt. Do we care? Not really... because it'll create buzz, and that's what we're looking for! I hope to heaven that word gets out about "some crazy church" that is giving away hundreds of dollars worth of gift certificates AND free iPods! And if that leads ONE PERSON to our church who hears the Good News of Jesus Christ and eventually becomes a passionate and growing Christ follower, it will have been well worth it.

We're not the only ones creating buzz... some of you are doing it in much better and more creative ways than us! What are you doing out there to create buzz? Please share! :-)