Jay Limke has written an article titled Church: It's Time to Stop the Spiritual "Bait and Switch". He makes some excellent points. Church marketing, particularly to seekers, is not only fruitless from an evangelistic standpoint, but is also deceptive. He writes:
So why, in the church of all places, does such apparent dissimulation exist? Many in the American church seem intent to communicate under false pretenses, even as the secular world is learning its lessons. We'll bring people in with music, food, fun, and games; and we'll make them think being a Christian is about whatever interests them. We'll play on their felt needs, and we'll do research to determine what "seekers" want in a church. We'll stick our collective fingers in the air and then we'll become what people what us to be. Finally, after all of that work, once we have people in the church, we may eventually get around to telling them, "Oh, by the way, Jesus died for your sins." In my public relations world, that's called the old "bait and switch."
It's sad and unbiblical. We don't need Madison Avenue tactics to reach the lost. Paul wrote that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).
HT: Nathan W. Bingham
7 comments:
It would seem to me that the writer of this article doesn't really understand marketing and is jumping to a number of misinformed conclusions.
Church marketing is the how of communicating. It takes the message beyond mere words, and helps the message to stick with visuals and creativity.
This is not something that man created. In fact just look at Gen 1, we were created to be creative and take in creativity.
What does it look like? It looks the way Christ taught, he didn't just use words but brought the truth in a way that people could digest and apply to their lives.
As far as it being a terrible thing to have a big event to bring people into the church...wasn't Christ's first miracle turning water into wine...at a party?
Church marketing has two tiers, yes the first step is to get them into the church...the next is to help the message stick so that they can carry it with them.
And before you say it...absolutely God can and will do all of that. But that doesn't let us off the hook. The bible is quite clear "do the work, and He will finish the task."
Church marketing is the how of communicating. It takes the message beyond mere words, and helps the message to stick with visuals and creativity.
See, here's the problem--most church marketing I've seen (a la Rick Warren and seeker sensitive garbage) has a completely different message than the gospel.
This is not something that man created. In fact just look at Gen 1, we were created to be creative and take in creativity.
And this is the a perfect example of what I just talked about. To try to use Genesis 1 to prove that church marketing was not created by man is to perform what I affectionately call hermenutical gymnastics. Saying that man is creative is a true statement. Saying that the arts are a gift of God is a true statement. Saying that church marketing has its roots in Genesis 1--I'm thinking not so much.
What does it look like? It looks the way Christ taught, he didn't just use words but brought the truth in a way that people could digest and apply to their lives.
Jesus Christ did not put on a show to draw crowds. In fact, there were many times where He withdrew from crowds (John 6) or where He attempted to minimize attention being drawn to Himself (when he told some that He healed not to announce it). Further, His message was not popular. He said in Matthew and Luke a disciple of His must take up their cross (Luke also adds daily) and follow Him. If you know anything about what the cross meant when Jesus was alive you know that He was not asking people to do something that they would have wanted to do.
As far as it being a terrible thing to have a big event to bring people into the church...wasn't Christ's first miracle turning water into wine...at a party?
Actually, no. It was a wedding. Further, there is nothing in that text that would indicate that anyone other than Jesus, His mother, the servants who filled the pots, and maybe His disciples knew what had happened. It's not like someone announced "Y'all come watch this dude turn water into wine, yo". Now in fairness, there is nothing inherently wrong with a church having an event and inviting folks to come to it. However, if it's going to be for the purposes of evangelism, let's actually evangelize, shall we.
Church marketing has two tiers, yes the first step is to get them into the church...the next is to help the message stick so that they can carry it with them.
The trouble, again, with most church marketing is that the emphasis is on attracting people with something other than the gospel. It's about appealing to them with something other than their need to be forgiven of their sins. It's about preaching Jesus as the solution to your marriage not the solution to your sinful condition. And it's certainly not about a call to repent of your sins, die to yourself, and become a slave of Christ.
And before you say it...absolutely God can and will do all of that. But that doesn't let us off the hook. The bible is quite clear "do the work, and He will finish the task."
There is no verse that says "do the work, and He will finish the task". It is not the job of the church to attract people. It is the job of the church to faithfully proclaim the truth of God's word and live that truth out in holy living.
Thanks for your comment.
the emphasis is on attracting people with something other than the gospel. It's about appealing to them with something other than their need to be forgiven of their sins. It's about preaching Jesus as the solution to your marriage not the solution to your sinful condition.
Do you really see the message of Christ as being all about sin? Check out the red letters, that wasn't all Christ talked about it. In fact look at the two greatest commands
1. Love God 2. Love people
It wasn't a list of what sins not to commit, but 2 things that we should be doing...actually one thing, love.
You can continue to try to beat people over the head with how terrible they are and how awful sin is...but look around you. It's not working and it's not how Christ did things.
It's not about watering down the gospel, in fact it's just the opposite. It's look at the fullness of the gospel and not just the 2% the church tends to focus on. Christ didn't come to condemn us, how dare we build churches that are?
And we have more to do than just sit back and watch God do his magic.
1 Chronicles 28:20
David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
We are the light and if we aren't the light in a way that is attractive to others, I'd suggest we're doing something wrong. Be a christian isn't about being right and being better, it's about being the worst and yet redeemed.
You can continue to try to beat people over the head with how terrible they are and how awful sin is...but look around you. It's not working and it's not how Christ did things.
NASB
Mt 4:17-From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Luke 13:2-5 (NASB)
And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? "I tell you, no, but unless you repent , you will all likewise perish. "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
Gee, you're right Michael. Jesus never told people to repent or talked about sin and its consequences. How silly of me.
I grow weary of verbal ping pong. Build your social clubs and entertainment centers. I'll stick with the church--the way the Bible tells us to build it.
You misunderstand, I didn't say he didn't talk about sin...certainly he did. I said he had more to talk about than only sin.
We need to deal with sin, it separates us from God...no question. But I don't think the best route is starting with sin. What if we start by showing Christ as creator and redeemer? I remember being in those churches that started with sin, all it ever did was push me away. Thankfully someone finally started with God's love and showed me that Christ as Lord was more than just a list of dos and don'ts.
You speak out of ignorance. You call the churches I work with social clubs and entertainment centers and yet you're just shooting in the dark as you don't know the church I attend or work with...or what I do for them.
If you continue to read Luke you see an example of what I described as church marketing. In this example Christ communicated with a story. Of course other times he shared truth with a metaphor, often using a visual queue. He knew how to communicate with more than words and from more angles than just one. That is how I practice church marketing.
Men of
Issachar, who
understood
the times and
knew what
Israel should
do.
1 CHR 12:32
You can certainly continue to do church your way, but look around you...it doesn't seem to be working that well and is alienating those we say we are trying to reach. It's a system made by believers for believers and we all know that Christ didn't come for the healthy, he came for the sick.
I'm merely suggesting we find ways to reach the sick.
It's not about communicating new truths, it's about communicating God's ancient truths in a new way.
Michael,
You know what, nevermind.
Thanks for your comments.
Though we may not see eye to eye, glad we could have the discourse.
Please understand I am passionate about what I do, and know that it is what God created me to do. So when you attack it, you are attacking the purpose God has given to me...that's why my words are so strong.
Be blessed and find peace in your day today.
Post a Comment