Time to Cooke!

It became apparent that those of us "on the inside," that is to say, we Salvationists, were standing a bit too close to the beast.  In our attempts to see the forest through the trees, we were rapidly losing sight of the big picture.  The time arrived for a fresh, "outsiders" perspective,  someone who had nothing invested in The Salvation Army's mission.  We needed someone creative, a Believer experienced in media, a man who would deliver the unfiltered truth about the relevance of our ministry and a direction in which to steer it.

We needed Phil Cooke.

An internationally known writer and speaker, Phil Cooke has actually produced media programming in more than 40 countries around the world.  According to former CNN journalist Paula Zahn, Phil is rare – a working producer in Hollywood with a Ph.D. in Theology. He’s appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, and his work has been profiled in the New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He has worked for such clients as Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, Joel Osteen, and Robert Schuller. Cooke produced Billy Graham's most-seen program, Starting Over, which reached around 1.5 billion people in 200 countries in one day.


His book: "Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Non-Profits Impact the Culture and Others Don't" is changing the way nonprofit and religious organizations use the media to tell their story.  And his new book "Jolt!: Get the Jump on a World That's Constantly Changing." shares his secrets of making today's culture of disruption and change work for you.


Could you think of a better advisor to help launch a Christian Media website?  We couldn't.


Phil and his team came in and we went to work.  They were astounded at the footprint of The Salvation Army on the global stage.  Daniel Temple, owner of Sermon Spice, kept repeating, "I can't believe how much the Army does.  I had no idea!" over and over again.  Phil, Daniel, and the rest of the team were ecstatic about the potential of SAVN.tv.  They got it.  They really got it.


Once again, I found myself in the midst of an innovative battlefield, creative crossfire flashing back and forth across the boardroom table.  When the dust settled and the smoke cleared, the most prevalent question seemed to be, "What do you want to communicate?  What is the Army's mission?"


"Well... we help people."


"That's it!  Helping people!  The Salvation Army is a world leader in Social Action issues.  People from every walk of life, all over the world, have one thing in common: They want to feel good about themselves.  So let's give them that opportunity.  SAVN will open the door for users, believers and nonbelievers alike, to do good things for others.  This will be the first 'Social Action Website'!" 


Using a common ground via media to unite people through good deeds while introducing the Gospel.  Brilliant.