tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10880332.post1097966096645604708..comments2023-11-05T03:18:37.731-08:00Comments on life together: consumer churchTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613060195802747865noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10880332.post-68446528015540882012007-10-14T21:06:00.000-07:002007-10-14T21:06:00.000-07:00Maybe I fall in the catagory Joe mentioned in his ...Maybe I fall in the catagory Joe mentioned in his post, but I just don't think that God needs us or our slick marketing to accomplish His will. <BR/><BR/>It brings to mind a favorite quote of mine from Kay Arthur"s "Our Covenant God":<BR/><BR/>"I wonder what would happen if we did 'honest advertising' for the church? If we put a sign in the front of churches that said:<BR/><BR/>Christianity Is Not for Cowards<BR/><BR/>Join Us and Become a Blood Brother of Jesus Christ...<BR/><BR/>Committed to the Death - Assured of Life.<BR/><BR/>While it might diminish our numbers, I believe it would certainly strengthen our ranks!"<BR/><BR/>Not very "seeker friendly" I guess, but does God need advertising or fluff? He did not need it in the first century even competing against all the temptations of the Roman Empire. God really works in counter intuitive ways. Who would ever have thought that allowing all the missionaries to flee or be killed in 1900 would be part of God's long term plan to build and strengthen the church in China. Doesn't seem like a good strategy from a human perspective. But our ways are not God's ways. Using the worlds methods seems like something to be very careful and prayerful about.<BR/><BR/>Maybe we could do a test. We could advertise a lot one month and see the results and then the next month (maybe a traditionally slower month even) cut out all advertising and just have a small group pray every day at 7AM from where ever they are at that time and see what the Lord does. <BR/><BR/>Or is that just weird?Suzettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05051833689756139507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10880332.post-24411477727484505812007-10-08T16:37:00.000-07:002007-10-08T16:37:00.000-07:00It is an easy lament of the “enlightened,” to look...It is an easy lament of the “enlightened,” to look down on those walking the very path they walked and say “Now that I get it, I shouldn’t have needed all that ‘Consumer church’ stuff and neither should anyone else. So let’s stop doing that and get to the Real church stuff.” <BR/><BR/>However, if there is going to be manipulation (marketing) of the “uninformed” masses, there is no better cause than steering them toward G-d. It is reality that an army of marketing executives is trying to snatch up souls for the sake of almighty dollar. Therefore, is it wrong, low or distasteful to use those effective tools to save souls for G-d?<BR/><BR/>Any successful company trying to sell a product has two departments: marketing and sales. The marketing attempts to draw the consumer’s interest to that company, its stores and products. Low prices and an attractive shop make stepping over the threshold less frightening. It then becomes the sales department’s task to learn that person’s needs (or vulnerabilities) and close the deal.<BR/><BR/>Is it wrong for a church to follow the same model? Advertising, word of mouth and admirable members of the faith draw attention to the world of the Church. An attractive facility, which offers pleasant services and a variety of activities, make stepping over the threshold less frightening. A compelling sermon focuses the consumer on the Word and his need for G-d. Then a growth group, a pastor/elder or a seasoned believer personally shepherds them to the door where G-d invites him in.<BR/><BR/>Once the person becomes a Believer, all the consumerism can be rigorously challenged and they become open to submission and direction/correction from leadership. Things begin to function as they “should.” But that doesn’t mean the Consumer church stuff is turned off. It just becomes understood in a different way and for what it is.<BR/><BR/>My guess is that the great challenge of any church is to balance the preaching of the hard reality of G-d’s Word and His commandments without frightening off the uninitiated it is commissioned to seek out—holding the mature Believer AND attracting the new or non-believer. Thankfully, we live in a country where the Church must compete and we must exercise our Free Will. Without that, any faith is empty.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com