All stories have a bad guy. The bad guy, of course, is the problem that the hero of the story must confront and be victorious over if the story (our software, church, etc.) is going to be at all interesting. When thinking about our website, we typically assume everyone knows who the bad guy is and start by showing the hero gaining victory over whatever problem they are facing. That is the goal. But, what if we add more depth by personifying the bad guy better.
We tried to do this by showing our heroes (Greg and Jess) in a video talking through the organization problems (bad guys) they confront every day as they do ministry.
You'll have to read Donald Miller's book on StoryBrand. I listened to it on Audible and remember three specific places where bad guys can be found.
- External - Outside people or forces beyond our control.
- Internal - Hurts, habits and hangups in CR language.
- Philosophical - Big ideas battling to influence outcomes.
It's awesome for a church to focus on worship, small groups, student, children, recovery and more ministries. But, what are the bad guys that each of these confront. Maybe these would be great topics for a better church website.
- Purposelessness
- Isolation
- Identity
- Meaning
- Forgiveness
- Brokenness
The great thing about bad guys is that they make us feel the conflict. They stir in us an emotion to look for hope, an answer and even resolution. Without the bad guy, there is no need for the hero. Without sin there is no need for sacrifice. This is the gospel story. We must tell it everywhere.
