I just finished up with this video to help promote the fshbwl. Any thoughts out there? If not, we'll begin pushing it on the web and sending it out for congregations to use as a part of their announcements.

With the elemental life on the verge of being published I thought it would be wise to put together a promo video for it. Bob over at Mustardseed is developing the website where readers will be able to ask questions that are prompted by the book and listen to a weekly podcast that's basically catechesis Joe style.

Let me know what you think.

Many of us love Mac ads, be it Mac vs. PC or just a new product being unveiled with catchy music. So, what happens when Microsoft attempts to be creative? This:

On another note, for all of you in the LCMS, doesn't this remind you of most of our video production and creative communications?

I have to admit, I love the Mac and PC ads ... most likely because, if a computer matched my personality, I'd be more like the Mac character than the PC one. It's for this same reason that I'm loving this new viral campaign from Mozilla for Firefox.

As the stats run across the bottom of the screen, the lifestyle they are identifying as "boring" doesn't look like my life at all and so, I don't find "boring" to be offensive. However, if I was somebody who embraced the lifestyle they classify as boring, without finding it boring, how would I view this ad?

Now, personally, I don't think Mac is trying to sell computers to people who "are PC" or that Firefox is trying to get people who "are IE" to download their browser, rather, they're going after the much large crowd who use PC and IE because it's all they've been exposed to, however, is it ever wise to insult somebody and then tell them how great your product is?

I'm thinking there's a parallel when it comes to Christians sharing the faith. Is it ever wise to open our sharing of the Gospel by insulting or stereotyping the person we're wanting to share with?

My best friend Dan used to be in sales and his comment has always been something to the effect of, "Whenever I talked about the weakness of the competition, I was just giving them free publicity, but when I only talked about how great my product was, people found what I had to say compelling."

Thoughts?

Watching a project actually come together is amazing ... and a bit stressful. While there have been times over the past couple years where I was sure that the fish was floating at the top of the bowl, things are now all falling into place for the Fishbowl to become an online reality.

Not only will the LHM Lent devotions (which should have about 200,000 readers) help us create a solid initial pool of people for the online community, but I've got a collection of great regular and occasional authors who are getting ready to provide content (although additional writers would certainly be a bonus if any of you out there are game). Then you add in a logo in development, a board coming together, and other ideas cranking away and things are happening.

The financial thing is still a bit of a pain, but as people are hearing about what we're doing they want to be a part of it and, for many, giving a few bucks (or a few hundred), is their way to help out. To that end, I'm please to announce that it can now be done online by clicking the donate button at the bottom of the Fishbowl placeholder page.

If all this Fishbowl talk is confusing you, here's the concept video: