Marketing the church

[JimB]

In the U.S. (and maybe elsewhere), do large churches grow large because they are delivering the truth or because they have learned how to market themselves to a consumerist culture? Is it possible to grow a church by sticking to the truth or does a church have learn how to market itself in order to attract a culture that has grown up on TV, hype, and impersonal relationships?

What do you think?

~Jim

Christianity without signs and wonders is just another religion. ~John Wimber​

 

[sunlover1]

In the U.S. (and maybe elsewhere), do large churches grow large because they are delivering the truth or because they have learned how to market themselves to a consumerist culture? Is it possible to grow a church by sticking to the truth or does a church have learn how to market itself in order to attract a culture that has grown up on TV, hype, and impersonal relationships?

What do you think?

~Jim

Christianity without signs and wonders is just another religion. ~John Wimber​

I think that for the most part churches grow because they market themselves.
A church grown by God, IMO, doesn't grow quickly because there is
much warfare and only those who hear His voice show up.
We all know how slow we all are to hear and heed.
Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Optimax]

Could be either.

It becomes obviously evident which one occurred, good marketing or preaching the Word, by JUST VISITING ONE TIME.

 

[probinson]

I think either could be true.

I also don't think they are mutually exclusive. Indeed Paul said;

1 Corinthians 9:22 (NIV)
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
​

I don't see anything wrong with "marketing" a church (for lack of a better term) provided it is not at the expense of the integrity of the Gospel.

 

[BenAdam]

I think either could be true.

I also don't think they are mutually exclusive. Indeed Paul said;

1 Corinthians 9:22 (NIV)
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
​

I don't see anything wrong with "marketing" a church (for lack of a better term) provided it is not at the expense of the integrity of the Gospel.

 

[lismore]

I don't think we should market the church, instead we should be 'marketing' the Lord Jesus, the only saviour and giving all glory to God.

It is possible for someone to be in a church for years, even a lifetime and not be saved

To put it another way, a lot of people are never going to darken the door of a church, but they need to hear the gospel. If you need to bring them into a service before they hear the gospel then many will never hear it. I remember a friend telling me about someone he led to the Lord, a young guy an ex addict with several mental illnesses and aggrophobia. Hadn't been out of the house in years. Marketing the church to him would have done no good.

 

[psalms 91]

The only marketing that should be done should be us individually. A church does not draw people for the right reasons unless they are there seeking something that the world cannot give them. Joy, peace, and so on. If they see in the people what they already have, sin, contention, strife and all the rest why would they want what they already have

 

[Always in His Presence]

I saw this in my history - it's an old thread, but I think even more relevant now, 13 years later with the increase in AI, social media etc.

I think it is a delicate balance between letting people know what the church is doing and just advertising.