In the world of digital and social media church communication there are many individuals doing some great work and paving a path forward that the church has not been yet. Some of these individuals you may have had interactions with or have even seen a product of their work. Others might have slipped through the radar as they continue to work in the trenches of church communications. I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight them. Here is a small window into their world.
Justin Dean is the former communications director at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Wa. He currently resides in Georgia with his wife and four kids. You will find Justin doing quite a few things throughout the week. In fact he may be one of the hardest working individuals I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Justin is the CEO of Doxa Media Group, a Co-Founder of That Church Conference, CEO of Shirt Refinery, a Church Communications Coach for local churches, author of PR Matters: A Survival Guide for Church Communicators, and last but not least a taco connoisseur. Phew. I’m rather exhausted just typing all of that.
Here is my interview with Justin Dean.
MH: Justin, you are involved pretty extensively with church communications, how did you get started in all of this?
JD: I was leading marketing for a private cable company just outside of Seattle, WA. We actually lived in Georgia, and had only moved to Seattle for 6 months to help sell the company. I was heavy into the tech startup scene before entering ministry. When that company sold, my wife and I loved the Seattle area and loved being a part of the church we had been attending, Mars Hill Church. We decided to stay and as I was looking for a new job, I felt enormous pressure to apply at the church. One thing led to another and I found myself accepting a communications role at Mars Hill. I served there on staff for four years as the Communications Director before the church closed at the end of 2014. Now through That Church Conference and my work as a communications coach, I get to work with churches all over the country, helping them better communicate the gospel and helping them reach as many people as possible.
MH: I had the joy of being part of the first That Church Conference and it was amazing. I am grateful for what you guys have done with and through that community. I know you connect with a lot of different people and churches, but what excites you the most about your job?
JD: Hearing stories of real people who’s lives that were changed because of something I helped coordinate. I’ve never been a Mark Driscoll or an Andy Stanley or a Greg Laurie. I’ll probably never stand on a stage in front of thousands of people and get to share the gospel. But behind the scenes guys like me are helping craft those messages so they can be the best they can be. We’re helping push those messages out even further, in new and creative ways, so more people can hear about Jesus. Even when everything goes wrong, hearing just one story of someone who turned to Jesus makes it all worth it. I can’t think of anything better or more rewarding to spend my time on.
MH: Amen to that! I love to ask that question before this next one. I believe it helps provide the framework and grounding we need when this job gets hard, because it will. What have you experienced to be the hardest part of your job?
JD: All of it. Nothing about this job is easy. Helping churches communicate better is quite literally one of the hardest jobs in the world. Not only are we up against years of very little progression, but we usually have to work with small teams and small budgets, and lots of red tape and politics. Not to mention we’re trying to reach an audience that doesn’t want us to reach them, and lately kind of hates us. On top of all that, we face a very real enemy, and I often stand right on the front lines. Although sometimes I do feel more like a drone operator, remotely managing the situation. I’m not really good with military analogies. But my point is, this is war. And war is hard. The only thing that keeps me fighting the war, is the fact that I know who wins in the end.
MH: I love that thought. Because of the nature of this job what is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is new to digital and social media church communications?
JD: I would advise them not to mess around. Seriously, we’ve got enough people in church communications roles who don’t know what they are doing. If you can’t move the ball forward, don’t get in the game. I’m not great at sports analogies either. Churches need to take the time and resources to equip their communications leaders to succeed well. It’s one of the most important roles in a church, and one of the most overlooked and undervalued.
MH: Such great advice there. Ok Justin I have one more question. It may be the toughest question I ask. Ready? What is your favorite cartoon character?
JD: Sam the Sheepdog. I used to love those old Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog cartoons where off the clock they were really friendly with each other, but then they’d clock in and it was back to business – with Ralph trying to steal the sheep and Sam trying to protect them. I loved how Sam the Sheepdog would always just plant there on the ground, barely able to even see through the fur over his eyes. But he always knew every move the wolf was making. I’m not really good with the life analogies either, so there’s no deep spiritual meaning here – I just liked the cartoons.
If you want to connect with Justin online check out the links below.
Website: www.justinjdean.com
Facebook: facebook.com/justinjdean
Twitter: @justinjdean
Instagram: @justinjdean
Snapchat: justinjdean
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