Discomfort with Church Marketing?

October 21, 2009 · Filed Under Marketing and Advertising

There is a certain amount of unease, and possibly even mistrust when it comes to the subject of marketing and the church. I’ve wondered about this and have come up with two very unscientific conclusions.

1) Is it possible that Christians feel that marketing is in some way sinful?
2) Might there be a general reluctance to embrace something that is “new” to their concept to taking their message to others.

Like I said previously, this is just my wandering thoughts, but I have 15 ½ years in the trenches as a pastor, and now for the past 9 years in the Internet field, the last 3 ½ as the CEO of an Internet marketing company.

At the end of the day it is all about letting your neighbors know that you exist, and that you have ministries that can profoundly impact their lives in a positive fashion. Marketing can make the introduction, but then the life and vitality of your congregation takes over, and the Holy Spirit can continue the work in people’s lives.

I see the connection between a church and marketing, Internet marketing in particular. Maybe that is due to my own unique experiences, but I wish this medium were available when I was a pastor.

There are no cookie-cutter solutions for every congregation, but I challenge you to open your mind to the opportunities that Internet marketing offers for outreach.

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