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Marketing the Church?

Jan 5th, 2009
by Michael Krahn.

Michael Kruse put up a very good post here a few days ago.

Some highlights:

“First, if you are in the marketplace, regardless of how intentional you are about it, you are engaged in marketing… If you are opposed to marketing, then you are opposed to all economic transactions.”

“Second, most advertising does not persuade people to buy something they would not otherwise buy (though clearly some advertising does).  Most advertising is about persuading customers to buy from a particular advertiser versus another supplier.”

And this closing:

When we’re talking about competing in the marketplace of ideas and community, there is no escape from marketing. Jesus and New Testament writers were very intent on recasting their “customers” perceptions of their own needs, on presenting themselves in specific ways, on “closing the deal” of bringing people into the new creation community, and on persuading others to do what is in their own best self-interest; namely to serve others in community, in service to God.

We no longer need to fill our identity through consumption when our identity is filled in Christ and his community of disciples.

Read the full post here.

Posted in: Church, Economics, Emergent Church, Emerging / Emergent Church, Emerging Church, Jesus, Quotes and Comments, Theology.

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  • http://navigateyourmarketing.com/ David (Marketing Integrity)

    Thanks for you post. I also read the Krahn post and he indeed makes some good points. It is too bad that the Christianity Today article really swung and struck out on the whole church marketing issue. The article does nothing to encourage churches to become better communicators of the best story on the planet to market. If we are going to carry out the great commission…we have to get better at telling the life-changing story of the love of Jesus!