WHAT IS BURLAP?
bur-lap
noun
1. a plain-woven, coarse fabric of jute, hemp, or the like; gunny.
It's not the kind of fabric you are likely to see at a fancy dinner. Burlap is a workhorse fabric, casual, and resilient. We see in the large weave of this fabric a metaphor of faith, where our stories are woven together to create a community of pilgrims. Some of us might be stumbling and bumbling our way along, but together we are able to care for each other, learning what it means to live out the faith we claim.
Burlap is a full-service, church-assisting organization that exists to help churches reach Millennials and Generation Z by weaving new stories of faith and culture.
After hundreds of conversations with church leaders across North America, Chris Folmsbee decided to launch Burlap. By providing relevant and affordable products and resources, real-time consulting, practical on-site, regional based training and ongoing research, Burlap helps churches of all sizes revitalize their congregations.
Burlap can help your church navigate the changing cultural landscape by discovering already-existing assets within your church and community to create new stories of hope and renewal. We believe the Kingdom of God is never in trouble. Therefore, Burlap offers hope-based solutions to reach Millennials and Generation Z throughout the entire scope of its work throughout North America.
WHO IS BURLAP?
CHRIS FOLMSBEE
Chris has over 20 years of organizational ministry leadership experience. Throughout this time, he has helped churches and non-profits build dynamic strategies for organizational growth, enduring faith formation and community and personal renewal. Chris has held various positions within churches and non-profits such as associate pastor, church planter, president and CEO, brand manager and executive-vice president. Currently Chris is the director of discipleship at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS where he leads a team of people who create transformational environments to help people become deeply committed Christians. He also helps pastor a multi-generational service reaching hundreds of people each week, many of whom are millennials and generation Z.
Chris is an international speaker and author of more than a dozen books on topics such as faith formation, ministry models and strategies, missional discipleship, and practical theology. Chris’ latest book is Gladhearted Disciples: Equipping Your Congregation with Generous and Enduring Faith (Abingdon Press, 2015).
Email Chris: Chris<at>thinkburlap.com
BRAD HANNA
Brad is an executive vice president, director of business strategy at Barkley/FutureCast, one of leading Millennial Marketing Strategy agencies in the country. He is a true marketer and brings an outside perspective on consumer culture and trends. Brad helps companies better understand their consumer targets, develop meaningful brands promises and how to connect with consumers using modern communication channels.
Brad is an expert in Millennial marketing having been involved in two of the largest marketing research studies every conducted on Millennials. Brad helps dozens of faith-based organizations and churches translate real world branding insights into asset-based action plans to reach Millennials.
BRYAN RICH
Bryan is the Owner of Vessyl Media, a design and production company specializing in video, graphic design, and websites. He is an advisor to Burlap on visual design and issues of millennial interest and significance.
Through the medium of film, he has earned many awards, including 2 Emmy’s for his excellent work.