Comments on: Secular Marketers Try to Promote Church Attendance

By: LaTanya

LaTanya — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 23:06:13 +0000

You never know how God will use people. That non-believer can learn a lot from real christians. I mean the church do have a say if the marketing is not what they bargain for. I see nothing wrong with using non-traditional outlet to market churches. Sometimes that is where the people who need to be steered in the right direction. Even if they don’t jump at the opportunity instantly, planting seeds can be the very small thing to bring non-believer to a church/congregation. I am not a marketer, but I market my church everday I can. The word is what will keep them there. The congregation’s job is to get them there. (I was just doing some research when I came across this lovely forum. Thank you for allowing me to state my opinion as well. (Greater Imani Family Worship Center, Kansas City, KS. “Moving by faith, not by sight!”

By: Ray R. Harris

Ray R. Harris — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:33:19 +0000

Churches speak about engaging their culture but many are just preaching to or against it.
Engaging culture means a two-way dialogue … and that includes the business of marketing.
Marketers would be intrigued with a church that listens more and before it speaks. Better yet, so would the culture we address.
Ray R. Harris – Lead Pastor, The Pointe Church … and CEO of an Online Marketing Firm, SitePropeller, Inc.

By: Matt Larson

Matt Larson — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:40:04 +0000

As a marketing professional, I’ll offer the “have your cake and eat it too” philosophy.
Hire them for their input. There is no reason why churches have to reinvent the wheel in everything just because secular people did it first. That mentality just keeps us about 5-10 years behind in everything.
We just need to keep accountability and balance their ideas against God’s word and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Should work out fine that way…

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 07:36:15 +0000

This seems like a no brainer to me. I am a committed Christian, passionately pursuing what it means to live like Christ. I am also a marketing professional, employed by a major national branding agency. While I don’t think we should employ “sex sells” tactics or every other trick in the arsenal of current advertising communications, its absolutely ridiculous to say that we’re not going to be smart about the way we talk about God, just b/c we don’t feel like the message necessitates it. We have important news to share. And while I think there’s something to be said for letting our lives speak, there are too many loud Christians making Christ look worse by the day with their judgment and condemning comments blasted over the airwaves or through bull horns in your local parking lot. If the message of the Gospel is going to be effectively communicated to everyone with ears to hear it, it has to stand out in the sea or marketing messages – it has to be heard through the clutter of our buzz-filled sound-byte culture. And if marketing professionals have found smart and compelling ways to do that, there’s no good reason not to employ them (assuming they’re ethical and compatible with our beliefs). After all, don’t you think the corner church with a sign that says “Hells flames await” is communicating a message? Or the reality shows that promise security and happiness through money won and consumer goods purchased – isn’t their message coming through loud and clear? The question is, are we going to let the message of love and reconciliation be heard? Or are we going to bury it for the few to enjoy? Just b/c we feel like we shouldn’t have to advertise…

By: PARoss

PARoss — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 16:43:54 +0000

Sure, marketing techniques can definitely improve church attendance. Churches have been doing it for decades, and have had great success. The churches are filled with people who don’t know why they are there. They just think it’s cool.
A better question might be, “Can attending church make a person Christian?” If it can, then all we have to do is get ‘em in the doors!
But I don’t think so, myself. As someone once said, “Sleeping in a garage won’t turn a person into a car.”
Phil

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 12:54:16 +0000

No I would not Gene. I wouldn’t work on communications for anything that I couldn’t show my savior.
That goes across the board. Even in the small amount of businesses I take must make the mark. Of course I look at what I do as a calling, not simply a business, even though it is what puts food on the table.
I think you have a great point that if we can’t relate to people who don’t know Christ to the point that we have to look outside, we have a problem. It’s a really easy path to go down to stay inside our bubble.

By: Gene Mason

Gene Mason — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 12:33:39 +0000

Curious, because this conversation raises interesting questions… Would any of you (us) who do marketing and are Christians have an issue taking on a project that promotes the Muslim or Hindu faith? (There, I did it–I drew the faith card, sorry.) I would not do it, because I could not in good conscience promote that in which I fundamentally do not believe. Would you agree?
I mean, forget the “outreach opportunity” here, or that “God might speak to them through my marketing effort.” Aren’t some things just wrong?
Of course, that would never happen, because a Muslim would never approach a Christian firm to promote their beliefs. Yet we would defend that very same inclination, allowing those who do not serve the same God to speak for Ours. Hmm. (Plumbers don’t speak for the church, by the way, so I do think there is a difference.)
If I have to go to someone who does not believe as I do and use their skill to make my faith “presentable,” does not that fact say as much or more about my beliefs or confidence in them than the “outreach” to that marketing firm?
Maybe I am just of a different mindset here but if we’re so lacking in our ability to relate to the lost world that we have to get lost people to help Christians “present” their own God in a compelling way by the world’s standards, maybe we’ve got bigger problems that bad marketing.
I don’t want to be the Bible-toting, verse-quoting, fundamentalist stick in the mud here. But perhaps I am. :)

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 07:34:02 +0000

I actually don’t disagree with you Corey…a good marketing firm is focused on communication and whether they believe in the product or not, they should be able to do a great job.
I personally don’t do work I don’t believe in. Even when I was at a ‘non-christian’ agency, I’d hand those to others…I’m not going to work on a campaign for Pepsi when I would never drink it. Could I do it? Sure. Would I be better at Diet Coke because that’s what’s in my fridge…I think so.
If a church is going to bring someone in why wouldn’t they bring in christians? Sure, there are times when it would be more appropriate to bring in a firm that can give the outside picture or shake some things up. But for me, I want someone who believes in my cause/my product/my service/my God to promote it.
Churches also need to be cautious not to let any firm water the message down. In the “God is still speaking” for example you have to be careful that you don’t cross the line of sinner friendly to sin friendly.
But of course I’m a designer who communicates for churches for a living…so I’m certainly biased. :)

By: Brian Norris

Brian Norris — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 16:15:22 +0000

Is Gotham Inc., the agency behind the very successful “God is still speaking” campaign for United Church of Christ specifically niched exclusively to Christian organizations? Attendance numbers went up. It was (and is) the message that helped prompt the increase. The personal faith of the people in the agency had no bearing on that success. Christian or not, the message resonates with the core teachings of the gospel. It (the TV ads also exposed the ugly tapestry of hate that courses its way through some churches, putting the networks and church leaders of other denominations in an uncomfortable situation). How unconditional is Christ’s love? It’s a question that should be addressed if you expect to preserve membership or increase traditional membership.

By: corey

corey — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 12:59:57 +0000

Another point to consider is your target audience. If you’re using only christians to market to non-christians, you’ve missed the opportunity to have a test group. Couldn’t these secular marketing agencies give you the benefit of a litmus test to see if you’re using Christianese language in an attemt to communicate with non-believers? If you’re only trying to grab believers from other churches or if your target is those who have taken a break from church attendence, then this isn’t relevant. But most church marketing is meant to bring in outsiders and create new Christians.
In your case, you’ve just entered a foreign mission field with no translator.