Has church become too commercialized?

There has been a growing trend in the church market. There are more books, websites, and programs for church leaders and their teams than ever before. Church growth, Gen X services, post modernism, authentic communities, emerging movements, worship experiences, and planting missional churches have all been the buzzwords over the last decade and has led to many of the fore mentioned products. It seems that Christianity is a big business. You can even bling out your dog now in the latest JC apparel.

I recently asked a pastor about how the Exponential Conference went last week and before he replied the word jumped into my head - commercialized. He said the conference was more about speakers promoting their books and agendas than church planting. I won’t go into my personal experience with the National New Church Conference but I can totally see my friend’s point of view.

Christianity has become too commercialized in some aspects and I think we need to get a reign on it.

It appears in some circles that selling books, CD’s, sermon series, speaking gigs, metrosexual identities, and being the top blogger is the “in thing”. This has really been observed in the church planting world and evident by the groupies who continually blog about stalking their idol at conferences or who market their personal blog more than their church…all the while wearing long sleeve black shirts with big collars unbuttoned to their chest with faded jeans, Doc Martens, and a soul patch or frosted hair to match.

You know what I would like to hear more about and see?

Jesus Christ, biblical inerrancy, small guys in the trenches, life transformation, spiritual discipline, serving and washing feet, becoming the least, humility, toned down church marketing and advertising, and the realization that people NOT in church or our faith see what’s happening but many Christians don’t.

Please know that I have personally struggled with these issues myself and I thank Jesus every day that I see in a new perspective. I’m jacked up too, but friends, we have to start looking at Christianity in America through a new lenses or we will reap what we have sown.

April 30, 2008 · Filed Under Church Branding, Church Leadership, Church Marketing, Church Planting

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Free E-Book from Ministry Marketing Coach

Our good friend and fellow Okie Chris Forbes at Ministry Marketing Coach has a new book available called Facebook for Pastors and you can get it now for absolutely free!  I just downloaded my copy and look forward to the insight that Chris has provided.

April 29, 2008 · Filed Under Church Leadership, Church Marketing, Web 2.0

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Is Church Marketing Dead?

There is something going on but I quite can’t put my finger on it. It’s a gut feeling that’s right more often than not. I think the church landscape is drastically changing and that church as we know it now is going to evolve (no, I am not supporting Darwin) into something much different. It’s just a hypothesis or idea I’m working on, whatever that’s worth.

One thing I do know in many conversations I’ve had lately with church leaders and church planters is that some of the media tools we have used over the last few years is losing their effectiveness or not working at all anymore. Are people fed up with advertising and marketing? Or could it be the message isn’t clear enough or that possibly the product, service, or dare I say it, the church just stinks?

I think it’s a combination of all of them.

People are tired of getting spammed or hordes of junk mail. I see and get stuff from churches that are atrocious! They say too much, don’t communicate clearly, make unchurched people feel judged, or look like somebody hurled on the paper and attached a logo. Some of the marketing tools observed from churches I have visited over-promises and under-delivers. They try to be something they are not.

Even though I believe that many churches still need to catch up with the 21st century, I think by the time they do, it will be too late. So what do we do, or better yet, what’s my buzz word for the day?

“Realationships”

Yes, it’s misspelled but notice it says real. You know what’s going to build your church and the Kingdom? Forming real relationships! Not those cheesy types of friendships where it’s surface level or fake. You can’t pretend to care or be interested – it has to be true and authentic – or you might as well stay in a cardboard box. And building “realationships” is going to take work… a dirty, four letter word! There’s no magical kool-aid, pill or Three Minute Program to do it for us. We have to go in this messy world and love people. It’s a simple but difficult to follow solution.

Church marketing is dying. Throwing a slick advertising piece or website at the public isn’t going to cut it much longer. The church of tomorrow will require more than a campaign. It will require investing personally and hanging out in people’s jacked up lives.

April 22, 2008 · Filed Under Church Leadership, Church Marketing, Church Media

20 Comments 

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

I wrote about this topic a while back and the same conversation came up with a church planting brother the other day so I think it’s worth mentioning again.

It is so easy to compare ourselves to another church or a church leader or church planter. We look at others and benchmark our success (or failures) by what they have achieved. Churches try to duplicate other churches or some of us attempt to be the clone of Mark Driscoll, Craig Groeschel, or David Crowder (goatee and all). But what works for them isn’t going to work for us - not to mention that God has called us to be ourselves in the situation He has given us.

God has uniquely made you. Celebrate it. Live it out loud!

We can learn from others but the best thing we can do for ourselves, our team, and our organization is to be true to who we’re called to be or the vision we have been given…not someone else’s.

April 15, 2008 · Filed Under Church Branding, Church Leadership, Church Ministries, Church Planting, Innovative Churches

5 Comments 

Mother’s Day Reminder!

Mother’s Day Reminder: Just a friendly reminder to remember your mom and all the mothers involved at your church on May 11th! If you need a Mother’s Day Power Point or Sermon Slide, checkout the one now available at CCP.

April 15, 2008 · Filed Under Books, Sidenotes

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Worship and Sermon Graphic: The Beauty of Mothers

This is the first of many worship graphics and sermon branding products coming to Church Communications Pro. This worship background series was designed by my great friend Becky Martin and is titled “The Beauty of Mothers” specifically for Mother’s Day on May 11th. The sermon slide details are listed below and keep an eye out for more series that will be coming soon!

THE BEAUTY OF MOTHERS | EXCLUSIVE CCP PRICE ONLY $20.00 USD:

This download includes the following:

  • Title slide with title
  • Title slide without title
  • 3 Message point/Scripture slides with title
  • 3 Message point/Scripture slides without title
  • Song slide
  • Style sheet with suggested fonts and colors (note: fonts not included)

Each of the above is provided as a JPEG file in 16:9 Aspect Ratio (1280×760).

For this worship graphic series, the following items also are available:

  • 4:3 Aspect Ratio slides
  • 5.5”x8.5” image suitable for bulletin/program cover
  • 6”x4” image or larger (with bleed) for postcard or invitation cards
  • Image for CD labels
  • Layered psd file

To purchase any of these additional items, please contact Becky at mail(at)cottagedesign.com.
Design and Copyright by Cottage Design 2008

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April 14, 2008 · Filed Under Media, PowerPoint, Sermon Series

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