Good Grain Creative Mid Year Update In more ways than one, we had no idea 2020 was going to be this way friends. We went in thinking one thing and we are going to come out forever changed by historic lockdowns and unprecedented uproar all in the name of preserving human life and dignity.

We truly did not expect to be present for such a pivotal moment in human history. We've also undergone a few changes. Good Grain Creative is now a church communications company, no longer a creative agency for creatives, we have found our stride doing communications work with pastors who have realized their need to have a powerful online presence through their website and emails. Since we identified our audience, we changed our prices, we're actually affordable now with our most expensive plan being 30% the cost of hiring in America.

We also hired a team! They're from around the country, and they've written some incredible posts featuring some ideas we should think about. We've also met more people. We're currently doing beta tests with Live Sent Ministries, Floodways Ministries and Send Los Angeles Church Planting Network.

Oh, and did we mention, we're already in the trenches with churches helping them out as much as we can while this season of pandemic and protest rages on. A year ago, Good Grain was just me listening to God about an idea that was already in the world but unsure of itself, today we have a goal to partner with 150 churches in the next 365 days.

As more feedback has come in, I've realized a few eventualities for our company as it relates to culture and the church.

First, our company is going to be as diverse in thought and population and ethnicity, language as the church itself. We are eventually going to be an example for what that could look like to have a community of believers be diverse and unified.

Second, we will be in all fifty states. We will have a team across all fifty states and a clientele base across fifty states.

Third, we are going to make mistakes and we're going to own up to them when they happen, communicating context with ownership and reconciliation.

Fourth, we are going to try and win the award of being the church's biggest supporter, through being enthusiastic, skeptical and conversational. Coming to all conversations with an evangelistic posture that is not afraid of using a prophetic voice.

Fifth, we're going to be innovators by stewarding a culture of conversation between ourselves and the pastors we service. We're a really young company, the easiest time for us to find and act upon new ways to provide value is now. I as the founder of Good Grain Creative am prepared to build this company as God directs it, even as he gives us clues through the pastors, with whom are in the trenches with every day.

Sixth, we're going to celebrate at every step of the way. Every church victory, and every client story, we're going to let you know when the Gospel was effectively communicated online, and how you can too.

Seventh, we have no idea how this all is going to happen, but we trust God to guide as he directs. We hope to be a company defined by radical faith, trust and boldness in God. To take him at his word and to act upon it on the premise that we could spread the gospel or bring him glory.

Finally, we're shifting our focus completely to Pastors and churches which means the film festival we ran last year has been canceled for 2020 and beyond. While we are saddened by this as well, Good Grain Creative is expectant and looking for new ways to develop and pull off an event that benefits pastors. Your prayers have meant the world to my team and I.

Thank you!

-Asher Segelken