SMITCHing

The image above may raise some eyebrows in the church, but the recent article that it accompanies should give serious pause. In my last post I raised some questions about the relationship between marketing and ministry, offering some preliminary conclusions. The book above is an apt illustration of the problem with that relationship. Carter and Coleman write on their web site: "The authors then pull some very simple rhetorical lessons from Jesus’ life that readers can use today. Both Christian and non-Christian leaders in just about any field can improve their ability to communicate effectively by studying the words and methods of history’s greatest communicator." In other words, Jesus becomes a means to an end. We can make use of him—quite apart from receiving him by faith—for a desired end. Jesus is therefore relevant because he is useful, and we can sell the benefits of following his example. I know nothing of the authors' intent. Nor do I know if they are Christians, ...

Something happened this week that got me thinking about marketing and ministry. We produced this video at our church to celebrate our Children's Ministry and to support an effort recruiting new volunteers. The response was telling. Generally, the most driven and capable people in leadership were critical of the video. Conversely, those who aren't high-profile, high-capacity people were the most complimentary of it. In short , the video stimulated a curiously polarized reaction. I began to wonder what might be the reason for the split. It occurred to me that high-capacity, results-oriented leaders are generally more attuned to the finer points of marketing, appreciating its effectiveness at helping them achieve their goals. These folks were much more alert to the problems with this piece—and there are problems which I'd be hard pressed to defend from the perspective of marketing. On the other hand, the humble person in the pew with no such aspirations may actually be more at...