So many Christians baulk at media advertising because it's tacky and unspiritual. Suggest to some people that we should work to raise our profile in the community which we are called to serve and they will mutter, shake their heads (sadly), sigh a little and assume you've sold your soul to News International.
I am inundated with flyers, posters, handbills and the like just about every day to the extent that my post lady looks like she's training for the Olympic weightlifting competitions! No one baulks at the myriad posters advertising world prayer days, Easter, New Harvest and Spring Wine and the like but suggest that we do the same (which of course if you have a church noticeboard you do) and the fun starts.
So let's look at myths and the reality associated with them:
If you build it they will come! This is a great counter to the use of publicity material whether it be banners outside the church, flyers through the local letterboxes or even time on the local radio, "If we put it on, people will naturally just come. We don't need to prostitute ourselves," said a minister I was discussing missioner issues with. Actually this might not be wrong, for in this churches' case they 'built it' and like the film it was full of dead people so if he was relying on the theology of the film 'Field of Dreams' (excellent, get a copy if you haven't seen it), he was halfway there!
Of course, if you build a big and splendid new church building or hall people do notice that and you will attract people (sadly some will be the roaming sheep who move from fellowship to fellowship seeking 'blessing' and the 'anointing' but they soon move on again). But if you're merely adding a service, changing the sort of services you have or are putting on an event - no publicity means no one comes!
We don't want to look desperate! "If we start putting up posters and adverts it will look like we 'need' people to come to our services!" So said a dog-collar with a congregation of about eighteen. His thinking was that as the congregation at the evening service had shrunk to single figures, advertising would make the congregation think they were in need of people and had become desperate. He was, of course, right on both points.
Advertising is something that people do to attract others to their products, services or events and it seems to work. If you tell people something is happening then they have the opportunity to decide whether to come or not. they might not all choose to come of course but if you don't advertise then no one will come - at least there's possibilities associated with an advert whereas without it's a certainty.
We are not desperate when we advertise, merely doing what we were commanded to do by Jesus - telling others.
Here's a couple of starters for you. have a think about where you find yourself and look at how well your company, your church, your clubs and anything else you can think of advertise and market themselves. How do you see their advertising? Does it work - being something that makes you remember the name or the product (this is where jingles come in - I once stopped and bought some stuff from a Barrett liquor store on the strength of Freddy Barrett's self-sung jingle on radio).
What works and how should we be using the advertising stuff in a church based setting?
Back with more later - five funerals and no weddings week!
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