Look and Listen

Biography

Mark Zarr has an MBA from Liberty University and a BA in Organizational Communication and Structure from Montana State University. Mark Zarr's most notable skills are his abilities to look for ways to optimize an organization's brand, products, and business processes, along with his ability to create and implement fun and exciting ways to develop employees. Mark has an uncanny ability to look at business from the eyes of the consumer (customer) in order to help separate what is working from what the organization is simply doing. He is an expert at taking this knowledge and using it to help businesses focus on their real strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. Mark helps organizations figure out and eliminate the differences between an organization's marketing (how they perceive themselves) and what they actually present to the consumer. Mark has been a leader in developing and training people since his college days, where he helped start leadership training programs (still in effect today) that built campus and community leaders who were ready and willing to engage. Most recently, he has written sales and leadership training programs for a variety of international network marketing companies. His career also includes helping his family's small regional franchise expand from one location to 11 locations in four states. Mark grew the franchise by focusing on building a great brand with an industry-first store concept, a sound training program, optimized processes, and vendor relations to help insure success.

Inspiration

I grew up with a contradiction. I lived in a Christian home and was taught about God’s love, mercy, and grace—and then I was taken to the church and taught that the church represents God. I believe that this is true, but if God is love, God is merciful, and God freely gave us grace, then should not the church do the same? I live and work in the real world and I keep hearing that non-Christians hate Christians because of our judgmental attitudes, our closed hearts, and our hypocrisy. At first, I discounted their claims, thinking they just did not understand our convictions. The problem is that the more I study the Bible, the more I understand that the only convictions Christians must follow are the convictions to love, show mercy, and give grace. I began to wonder: are we missing the point of what Christ was teaching us? The more I studied the Bible and the more I observed the church, the more I started to see the contradictions. In order to protect its people, the church too often shuts the door on the outside world. Jesus lived among sinners, but the church, more than it should, fights to keep its image clean. Jesus never condemned but showed people how to live better lives. The church points a finger at whatever it sees as evil but does little to promote positive change in the hearts of people outside the church. My credentials for writing this book do not come from a theological degree. My credentials come from growing up in the church, changing with the church, observing the church, and finally, coming to terms with the contradictions of the church. This book is written for the normal, everyday Christian—by a normal, everyday Christian.