Why No Fuss Over Easter?

Well, I just got done doing two seemingly unrelated things. First, let me give some background.

Our family has been privileged to be members of Buckhead Church in Atlanta for almost the past year. It's been quite a change from our previous church experiences. Everything from the size to the music style to the video messages and the rock concert every week, it has been an adjustment. But an adjustment in a good way.

You see, I've really been longing to be a part of a fellowship that is really, I mean really passionate, about relational evangelism. Most people just shudder if you even mention the word evangelism. Heck, I typically wouldn't use that word in conversation with someone who doesn't share my beliefs for fear of just putting them off. Of course, it's more my issue than theirs, but that's another post for another time.

Anyway, I'm just grateful that we are there, and that we are ministering in different ways and seeing lives changed constantly by being a part.

So back to my activities of the day. Last night we went to our first Good Friday service at Buckhead. It was very thought-provoking, and not at all what I was expecting. I did end up leaving with a sense of incompleteness. In fact, I was probably feeling as incomplete as the followers of Jesus did right after He died on the cross. Not having any answers. Just a lot of stirred up emotion. No comfort, no peace,

no closure.

So, I wait with great anticipation to what I will take part in tomorrow during the Easter Sunday service. Of course, unlike the disciples, I didn't know what the end story was. So, knowing how the story will end gives me comfort and closure they didn't have. And my closure goes well beyond the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. My closure is based on the seal that He has on my heart since I have accepted and believe.

So...why no big Easter celebration? My whole faith is based on what we celebrate Easter for, but, much like how we celebrate Christmas, the celebration has little to do with the actual meaning. But Easter is so significant, it got me thinking about why, outside of the Cadbury bunny, we don't do more as a culture around Easter.

Then I did two things today (you knew eventually I would get back to this). First, there was a song played Friday night that is one of my recent favorites. Here's the song if you want to watch and listen:



I really love the words to this song, and the music with it is just so powerful that my heart just collapses in a combination of joy and sorrow. Joy for the gift, sorrow for the way it had to happen. Joy for His unending love, sorrow for my inability to hold up my end of the bargain.

The second thing I did was to visit the Buckhead Church blog, and read what Carlos, one of the staff members wrote. He also struggled with why Easter isn't a bigger "party" with us. Not balloons, confetti, and beer, but in our hearts and in our community. How can we truly celebrate our risen Lord that we worship, and that we base our whole worldview on?

Well, I started the party inside my heart. Next, I am going to start it within my family. Then, my community. And for me, it starts with this song.

"Lead me to Your heart, Lord Jesus"...

Happy Easter all!

Are Mobile Landing Pages Important?

Tonight I had the opportunity to hear a great panel discussion on SEM (search engine marketing). I have to admit that the field is somewhat new to me, except that I am frequently annoyed by getting those generic landing pages with hundreds of links when I accidentally misspell a URL in my browser. But the seminar really showed me the benefits of having specific landing pages, separate from your company's home page, to drive your value proposition home.

I did end up asking a question towards the end around landing pages for mobile devices. I wondered if companies were really looking into (and asking for) landing pages specifically for mobile device-tethered consumers.

The answer was no.

As someone who truly believes in the power, and continuing evolution, of multi-channel customer experiences, I was surprised that these particular panelists had not seen much in the way of landing pages for mobile devices. Now granted, the browsing experience, and expectations, are different for mobile users versus traditional browser users, but I find it hard to believe that there isn't a hugely untapped market out there for the millions of users who are using rich smartphones. I mean, I can't imagine that all of those folks buying iPhones, HTC Touches, etc. are doing so just to send text messages.

Think about this. Wouldn't it be cool to be able to push landing pages to users, using GPS information, as they are walking by your store in the mall. Sure you might attract them using a text message to them, but that's a bit more intrusive, since a text message requires you to know their phone number. But if they were in the mall, and joined the mall's FREE wi-fi network, you now have access to their device to push information based on all registered IP addresses. Now, you could push rich landing pages to their devices as they walk by the store, prompting them to come in with their special code they've received, to get a discount on a great new sweater. Or power saw. Or HDTV.

I don't know. Maybe it's because I have been a smartphone user since the Treo 600 came out in 2003 and will never go back to a non-converged device again. And I see more and more non-geeky types buying these types of devices in droves, just for the coolness factor.

I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts on this. While my blog is not frequented often, if you have a comment, let me know!