Comments on: Tony Morgan Thinks Churches Should Stop Marketing

By: Tisha

Tisha — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:45:50 +0000

Wow Anthony!!! I believe you summed it all up…We are written epistles known and read by everybody.
I do not think church marketing is evil, unless your motives are wrong. Just think…Our lives are marketing, so who are you really marketing for???

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:20:53 +0000

If your church is ALIVE with the Spirit of God and founded on the true and balanced Word of God, then “marketing” will let more people know about it and the more people know about you – the more people they will then tell, and so on. However, if your church is as dead and dry as the first fruitcake ever made, then “marketing” will simply let more people know how dead and dry you are. EVERYTHING we do IS “marketing” – from the way we greet at the door, to how clean the building is,to your web site, to what kind of nursery/children’s/youth program/facilities you have. Marketing does NOT trump substance and should NEVER been seen as a substitute for Truth or Substance. We should be “wise as serpents, but harmless as doves” and use whatever legitimate AND Spirit led tools are available to promote the Kingdom of God.

By: jeremy

jeremy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:08:43 +0000

Seems like it goes back to what Seth Godin says – your “substance” or product IS the marketing. That’s what makes your message spread. Something worth talking about is what effects action. “Promotion” is merely advertising, and if the product isn’t worth advertising, then there’s no reason to advertise. But if there’s something legitimately worth telling people about, if there’s substance to what you’re doing, then creating awareness can be a good thing. But all the advertising in the world can’t fix something that’s broken (taken from Wizard of Ads). So, yeah, marketing all the above – substance, design, message, advertising & promotion, but it’s easy to separate advertising & promotion and think that’s the full extent of marketing.

By: Sara

Sara — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:53:28 +0000

Marketing is a tool. True. Marketing is a tool that promotes a product. (Let’s not confuse it with advertising, tho.) But what does ‘church’ marketing promote? Churches? That’s what I see more and more. Little shops inside churches promoting that church. On bookmarks, on bumperstickers, on coffee mugs. We want everyone to come to Our Church first and pout if someone stops coming to Our Church or chooses a different church over Ours. The Good News almost always comes second. And ‘xtian’ marketing… that’s an entirely different blog.
I like what Shawn Claiborne wrote in his book Irresistible Revolution, quoted by a preacher he heard: “Christ is coming back for The Church, not a harem.”
So what are we marketing anyway?

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:04:41 +0000

nice post. i like the idea that churches can’t stop marketing. if you define marketing as communication of a brand or product/service, then the only way that you can stop marketing is by closing shop. fascinating.

By: Gene

Gene — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:35:50 +0000

I just wish Tony would smile. His pics always make him look so danged serious…

By: David

David — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:27:04 +0000

Nice article. Tony is absolutely right on this. To many gimmicks and not enough substance. Church at times have gone the easy way to promote themselves rather than doing it the old fashioned grass roots effort of actually talking to people. We have to remember that marketing, branding, promoting, is just that, a tool and not the actual means to cause people t grow. Paul said it plainly, “I plant the seed, and Apollo will waer but its God who makes people grow.

By: David (Marketing Integrity)

David (Marketing Integrity) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:37:59 +0000

You got it right. Marketing is communication. Seth Godin defines marketing as telling a story. The tools Tony is talking about are just that – tools. The church must never stop telling the life-changing story of Jesus!

By: C. Holland

C. Holland — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:20:34 +0000

Whew! When I read Tony’s posts, I thought being a missionary in Europe had really skewed my thoughts about church marketing. I’m in agreement with both Church Marketing Sucks and all the comments here. Glad I wasn’t the only one that noted the marketing sponsors on his page.
Calling marketing evil kind of reminds me of how people misquote 1 Timothy 6:10 when they say “Money is the root of all evil.” It’s not. “The love of money…” just like how you use marketing, not marketing itself.

By: SeanPdesign

SeanPdesign — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:02:16 +0000

A bad product is a bad product, and a good product sells itself.
In essence a good product is your best marketing, and if its truly something for people to see its the only marketing you’ll need.