Meet Joshua Cody, CFCC Intern

You may have noticed that our posting frequency has increased a bit on our flagship blog, Church Marketing Sucks. You may also have noticed a new name cropping up in a lot of bylines, Joshua Cody. We thought it time to properly introduce him.

Joshua Cody is our intern. He’s a junior at the University of Georgia-Atlanta, going for his B.A. in journalism.

1) When did you become a Christian?

I started when I was about thirteen, and I’d like to think I’m still becoming one.

2) Tell us about your church-going experience?

I’ve been interested in ecclesiology since before I knew what the word meant. I’ve always been inclined to experience new and exciting ways of doing church. From Southern Baptist to Pentecostal to Methodist to house church to the African Inland Church, I’ve gotten a good cross-section of churches thus far. I look to keep on going with this and continue learning that no one has it quite right, and they won’t. But we sure as heck ought to keep trying.


3) What do you want to be when you grow up?

I kind of hope not to grow up. There are too many fun things that old people don’t get to do because they get bad knees and heartburn and stuff. But I imagine I’ll graduate college, head out of the wonderful south, and do some sort of work involving churches and creativity. Planting, communications, ideation, futurism, writing, who knows? I’m accepting applicants for possible future jobs.

4) What made you want to be the CFCC intern?

I saw the post where you got that free T-shirt from eBible.com and knew it was the only thing that could beat the thrift store for a college student. No, but seriously, I love to write. And I love trying to make the church think. I had a slight avenue for writing in the form of a long-dead blog, but it wasn’t all I was hoping for. There are still things I’d love to write about that aren’t church-marketing related, but this gives me a great opportunity to do what I love while I help people–which I would argue is one of the few tickets to happiness on this great planet.

5) Is it really true–are all interns overworked and underpaid?

Ha-ha. I can’t speak for all interns, but we’re at least overworked and underpaid by our own choice. I love what I do, and it beats the tar out of getting paid to do a job that sucks. Considering this summer I’m paying $2,000 to do an internship, working for free is a steal.

[Editor’s Note to Self: Find interns willing to pay us]

6) You’re in Georgia, CFCC founder Brad Abare is in California, I’m in Minnesota. What’s it like working across so many miles (and time zones)?

It’s actually pretty convenient. By the time they’re digging into work in the Frozen Lakes and Left Coast, I’m just settling into class so I can get their e-mails and get some work done while my professors get going. (Kids, pay attention in class. Do as I say, not as I do.) It would be a lot tougher without modern technology, you guys’ wives don’t want me calling at 8:00 a.m. my time to wake you up at 5:00 a.m. All in all as a college student, my sense of time is so screwed up I don’t really notice it.

7) So what do you know about marketing anyway?

I’m going to go with both “practically nothing” and “plenty” on this one. I’m not pursuing a degree in marketing. I’m not the brainchild of a couple of marketing gurus. I don’t even have a background interest in marketing. But church marketing isn’t business marketing, and it’s not quantum physics. It’s simply clear your mind out, and ask yourself, “How can we make this message easier for people to relate to?” I think one of the central questions in evangelism/church marketing/outreach is “Are you brave enough to let your ideas die so new ones can come forward?” And I think I lack some of the dirt and grime that many in professional ministry have built up over the years. I’m lucky–I don’t have too much baggage. It’s just kind of been common sense to me; just a matter of encouraging people to do what it takes to engage the culture. It doesn’t take a degree, it just takes some common sense, a little bravery and a willingness to fail.

8) What do you hope to get out of your time working with CFCC?

I figure if I stick around long enough and the CFCC ad network takes off, six digits, a Gulfstream jet and an iPhone. In the meantime, I imagine I just want the chance to write, the opportunity to grow in knowledge and a way exercise my creative muscles. I’d also love to keep meeting some really cool people and hearing their ideas.

9) On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your own church’s marketing? And be honest, we promise we won’t tell your pastor.

Hmm … 1-10? I’d say a 6. We recently had a regime change and some bad stuff went out the door. We quit protesting the local Hooters. We stopped having Republican candidates stand up in services. We unleashed a creative beast in the graphic design department who pretty much is the only reason we get above a 4. All in all, outside of graphic design, we’re a little bit stagnant. But don’t tell anyone I said that.

10) What do you like most/least about working for CFCC?

What I like most about CFCC is just the ability to interact. Everything is tactile. I write something, I see what I’ve written. I see how people respond to what I’ve written. It’s fun to feel the interactions started by things that go on in your mind.

My least favorite thing? I’d say it’s feeling dumb when you say “talk about it in the comments,” and no one does.

Good to have you on board, Josh. Thanks.