We can all remember the first time someone said, “I love you.” (We can also painfully remember when someone didn’t).

We are created to be known. From the early playground experiences of “Mommy, mommy, look at me,” to the moment you discovered the pretty girl knew your name.

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything.”

Timothy Keller

Being known means we’re valued, seen as special. Being known validates who were are, that we have worth.

There is no place this is more evident than in the greeting card aisle at your local supermarket or drug store.

Take a look at your high school yearbook. I dare you. It’s embarrassing to think about how we used to think.

How could we possible have… thought that was cool… dressed like that… worn our hair like that?

In my not-so-effortless transition from thinking that programming a radio station was about 1) playing cool songs I like, and 2) evaluating talent on the basis of “he’s got a good voice and runs a tight board,” to embracing things like strategy, branding, and actually mattering to people, one of the first books I came across was Al Reis and Jack Trout’s “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing.” (Do yourself a favor and read it.)

One of the concepts shared was “The Law of Sacrifice.”

On last week’s show I shared despite the fact that vanilla ice cream ranks as most people’s favorite there are NO vanilla ice cream stores. In other words “favorite” is not the only consideration. “Interesting” matters, too. Surprise and delight matters.

In my opinion one of the biggest challenges of Christian radio is the tendency to do the same old things the same old way. I know stations that don’t sound significantly different than they did ten years ago and yet the world has changed around them. Never has this been more obvious due to the pandemic.

“If you leave a white post alone it will soon be a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again; that is, you must be always having a revolution. Briefly, if you want the old white post you must have a new white post.”

G. K. Chesterton

So what’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? Most surveys point to the good ole reliable vanilla. But when you peak under the cone you’ll see that vanilla is favored in part because it goes with so many different toppings and condiments.

I believe that there is no format like CCM whose success is more dependent on the ability to create an emotional dynamic range from laughter to tears, celebration to introspection, and angst to joyfulness. Some might describe that as the human condition.

Givers and takers.

When you think about the people that have had the greatest influence on your life I reckon’ you’d say they were GIVERS.

“The human spirit senses and feeds on a giving spirit… Think about what Jesus taught – half the time people didn’t know what he was talking about, but they listened attentively. Jesus was giving – feeding them. Not taking. It is at a spirit (heart) level – he wasn’t just giving information.”

John Maxwell

I wonder, then, why many Christian radio stations are perceived to be TAKERS, always asking their listeners to give them something. There are some general managers whose voice is NEVER heard unless they have their hand out.

The most common New Year’s resolutions are about losing weight, quitting smoking, and getting more exercise. This is still the case even as we head for what we hope will be a post-pandemic 2021.

What if we took those same resolutions and applied them to our radio stations?

In this pandemic Christian music radio stations have never had more in common with those who don’t yet listen. Why is this important?

Successful formats are based upon consensus. Consensus is a result of common ground through familiarity.

No familiarity? No consensus. No format.

“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”

Simon Sinek

Every year Google compiles a list of the most searched for words of the year. In 2020 people search for WHY.

Have you ever met anyone that has their own statue? Interesting thought, isn’t it?

I’ve had the privilege of meeting several. I met Ronald Reagan when he was running for president in the ’70s. In my baseball life I’ve met Stan Musial, Jack Buck, and Mike Schmidt.

What makes someone so special that they are worthy of a statue?

Is it talent? Or personality? Maybe just right place at the right time?

As we begin to put 2020 behind us perhaps now is a good time to consider how we internalize the values in our organizations.

“Just start celebrating what you value. People will value what you celebrate, and they will celebrate what you value.”

Andy Stanley

I love Xfinity’s campaign on this theme.

2020 has been a year like no other. But even in this unusual season Christmas can bring out the best in us. More people are tuning to your station than at any other time of the year.

I knew of a few stations that top a million listeners per week and numerous others that reach the top five. This was once considered unimaginable for a niche format playing mostly unfamiliar music.

Many stations do their best job of connecting on common values with stories of hope, comfort, and new beginnings. Over the last several weeks I have heard some amazing stories and songs.