Would this work for you?

[JayCdn]

So my church is seriously a stones throw from a local college with about 4000 kids in rez. We are (finally) starting up a service geared towards these people and last night at a meeting I couldn't stop laughing because of our super sweet marketing scheme. I am the only one in the leadership of this service under 30 and the others somewhat defer to me regarding what is hip these days.

Anyway, the reason I couldn't stop laughing is because my ideas kept snowballing. This strategy would have me hooked, but I wanted to know if anyone else would get sucked in. The materials we have at hand are (a whole lot of ) homemade cookies from some church seniors and pretty slick simple white printing (with one red letter) on black business cards with only the name of the service, a phone number, e-mail address, church address, and time.

Picture this: Your doorbell rings. A guy (about 22 years old) wearing a dark suit, fedora, and dark glasses is at the door and hurriedly hands you a bag of cookies with the business card inside (in another bag for safety), possibly saying something to pique your interest. As he hands you the bag, he begins running madly along the road (hallway, whatever) with another guy in a trench coat chasing him for all he's worth.


Would you not be telling your friends what just happened to you? Would you not be interested to see what those crazy Christians were up to this time?

We are also working on putting a cooking class together for the kids as we have been told that this is something that a lot of them need.

Feedback is hip, but I also just wanted to share this awesome idea with the world.

 

[Terri12345]

lol that sounds fun!

 

[kuntrygurl_26]

sound fun, but wouldn't you be kind of freaked out if you were a nonchristian and a christian person knocked on your door and started acting crazy! You may have the opposite effect, you may scare them

 

[Mandrake]

I think cooking classes would be a great idea. In my experience it's the neighborly and genuine gestures that tend to make the best connections with people. Quirky marketing is interesting, but in order to make long-term bonds and generate real interest in what's happening I think that there's no substitute for real people who actually care about the people they're reaching out to.

 

[ACADEMIC]

Yawn.

Go to, don't "draw in".

 

[Eakenyon]

I think that if you are trying to reach college students, this is a good way to do it. Any older than that, and yeah, you might scare people off.

I know I'd probably go. Especially if the cookies were really good! LOL

 

[sunshineray]

Hmm, I don't know if it will work. I lived in Rez 1st year university. It is such a gong show that weird things are always happening... it doesn't really phase people. Also, it is SUCH a secular community that I think it would be hard to just go in there like that and make an impact. I might also add that a lot of non-Christians have a view that Christians are weird or are different from everyone else... this might confirm these thoughts to them.

It might be more effective to plaster interesting or thought provoking signs or ads for your church. Then maybe kids who went to church back home can find a church here.

 

[JayCdn]

Heck no I wouldn't be freaked out if I had this happen to me as a non-Christian. I would laugh like a maniac and I would want to se what guys who advertise their church like this actually did in church. I would have seen all kinds of posters about God, "Who does Jesus say he is", "Is there an absolute truth?" and all kinds of other signs like that around, but I would shrug that off as 'more stiff Christianity stuff".

Thanks for input though. I guess I just thought that there might be more people out there who were as interested in goofing off and having a good time as the kids who come to this service are.

 

[Squirrelborg]

Would you guys really eat cookies given to you by a complete stranger in a trenchcoat? I wouldn't even answer the door!

I'd post flyers or see if someone in the campus staff would foward a group email to the students for you.

 

[Tink]

I love the idea. Sounds like something the leaders of my church would do.


In fact, I may bring it up. Thanks!

PS We also went reverse "trick or treating" last year and handed people a flyer when they opened the door with the candy bowl in hand.

 

[JayCdn]

Okay ladies and gentlemen,
We are not so naive as to have this as our one and only method of getting our service out there. We do have a contact on campus who can send out a mass e-mail to kids who have signed up to be on his Christian Club type e-mail. The cooking classes are being offered. I live in a pretty safe town and people are trusting, I would gladly eat cookies form anyone who gave them to me, unless they appeared to be on hard drugs maybe...
Personally I have seen all kinds of witty campus posters and things, but they do nothing for me. I would imagine that we will end up doing something like that (has anyone out there actually had a positive response from posters?) but this is something new (as far as I know), to set it apart in the minds of people.

 

[sunshineray]

Heck no I wouldn't be freaked out if I had this happen to me as a non-Christian. I would laugh like a maniac and I would want to se what guys who advertise their church like this actually did in church. I would have seen all kinds of posters about God, "Who does Jesus say he is", "Is there an absolute truth?" and all kinds of other signs like that around, but I would shrug that off as 'more stiff Christianity stuff".

Thanks for input though. I guess I just thought that there might be more people out there who were as interested in goofing off and having a good time as the kids who come to this service are.

I'm saying what I did based on my first hand experience living in Rez. I know what kind of kids live there. It's one big giant gong show party.... so I don't see them investigating any further than eating the cookies and blowing off the rest.

 

[thepinkpencil3]

I don't know if that's the best approach. Someone already said "go to. not draw in" I think that's essential. We, as Christians, need to be willing to step outside of our comfort zone that is the church and be loving, caring Christians outside of the church. Some people are threatened or scared by the thought of going to an actual "place" Why don't you bring church to them?

The marketing idea sounds creative, but I don't think it'd draw me in if I were the person receiving the cookies. I'd be quite skeptical and nervous. The cooking class does sound like a great idea! A chance to get together, in a non-invasive way, and fellowship! Great! The young adult group I'm in has a once a month art show that features one artist and anyone can bring art. We offer free coffee, tea, soda, cookies etc. It draws in a lot of outsiders!

I think it's awesome that you're looking to start up a group. I hope whatever technique you use to attract people is affective in not only getting them there but also in drawing them to Christ!

blessings