The first movie they sent out was Tim Burton's Bettlejuice.
In 2012 they did over $1 billion in revenue. Ten years later, its revenues had fallen to $146 million.
The times have changed. Netflix has officially mailed out their last red DVD envelope. The last movie they sent out was True Grit.
Like many things in the technology business, DVD's in the mail has run its course.
The big change started in 2007 with the introduction of streaming movies and TV shows. Gradually people didn't even have to get out of their LazyBoys to watch the video offerings.
No more waiting for the DVD in the red envelope to arrive. They could stream Netflix 24/7.
The day of the DVD was over. It was a great technology at the time but needed to change if they were going to move forward with other competing companies.
Change or go under? It was really as simple as that. They could no longer just do what they have always done.
Netflix was smart enough to make the change from DVDs to streaming, on-demand viewing. The change has gone extremely well and they now doing far better than they were in the days of DVDs. In 2022, they had over 31 billion dollars of income.
So let me ask you a question.
Are you still using DVD's in a streaming, on demand culture?
When I say this, I don't mean have you trashed all of your "Veggietales DVD's." What I am saying is this.
Are you keeping up with a changing culture?
Are you willing to shut down a good ministry model so a new model can be great?
Are you having people wait while they live in an on-demand culture?]
What methods, programs or events do you need to stop doing so you can be more effective in reaching today's kids and families?
Change can be hard to make. Some people get upset when there is change. People want to cling to the past because that's all they have ever known.
As a visionary leader, your role is to skillfully lead people through necessary changes so the ministry can continue to move forward and be effective.
Here is my challenge for you.
Set down at least once a year and go through everything you are doing. Ask the hard questions.
Is this still effective?
Are people voting with their feet for this?
Is this still culturally relevant?
Are we reaching children and their parents through this?
What do we need to change about this?
Do we need to stop doing this?
What are we doing just because we've always done it that way?
Take the answers to these questions and be willing to change and adjust.
You don't want to be a DVD Ministry in a live streaming and on demand culture.
