Archive for June, 2003
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Whew…words are exhausting…
Wednesday, June 25th, 2003
I just finished a two-day stint with this ChurchMedia.net forum thread in which I attempted to pick the brains of other media and marketing people about a scriptural basis for marketing.
I was kind of surprised at some of the reactions I got, but more than anything, I’m just learning that I’ve absolutely got to formulate a complete hypothesis and argument that covers the issue in full. One great thing that will come out of the forum, though, is that I can see a trend in some of the objections to what I proposed.
The main objection (after people realized that I wasn’t saying media and marketing should never be practiced in the church) was one of “effectiveness.” Most of the guys in the thread were telling me that media was the most effective way to reach people for Christ.
In other words, no other method of outreach was as effective at reaching (and leading) people to Christ than the media.
I still (and will always) categorically and emphatically disagree with that point, and the understanding of it will drive everything I do as a Director of PR. Why? Because when Jesus was on earth, he was not interested in getting in front of the Roman coliseum, he wasn’t interested in having large crowds (filled with people who only wanted to see miracles or the “cool stuff”) follow Him, and even went so far as to thin the crowds when He taught about his flesh and blood in the book of John. Jesus was not interested in doing anything but being obedient to the Father and serving people and teaching them the truth about God (teaching them that He is the truth).
Now, does that preclude the use of media to further the kingdom of God? Absolutely not!! But it does put it in the proper perspective. Media is subservient to the best, and most effective way to reach people with the gospel: servant evangelism. When a person has their needs met physically (through food, clothing and the like) and emotionally (through caring and fellowship), then their spiritual needs are met as well…and the gospel becomes something transferred naturally in a relationship to them.
Regardless of what anybody thinks, it’s clear that this is how Jesus reached people. And I defy anyone to tell me (or prove to me!) that a video about Jesus will reach them better than that. It’s just not true.
So…I will take a few days to heal some wounds and then get back to the drawing board, prayerfully devising a marketing plan for the Canadian Seminary, and just as prayerfully creating a way of understanding marketing for the Canadian Church.
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