I was amused by Dale Romero’s Purpose Driven Latte post. The story behind that post includes examples of companies trying to communicate something about faith in the form of Bible verses on food wrappers, shopping bags and the like. Nothing wrong with that, I suppose, but I think these are corporate forms of fish emblems stuck to the bumpers of SUV’s and John 3:16 signs held up in the end zones at football games.
Reading Dale’s post, I wondered, "How can a company of people demonstrate their faith in the marketplace? How should they?"
A passage from the Bible — I Peter 3:1-4 — flashed into my head, followed quickly by a second — 1 Timothy 2:9.
The gist of the first passage instructs spouses who follow the Christian way to behave in such a way that their partners will be won over without words — when they see the "purity and reverence" of their lives. Peter redirects attention from outward adornment to the spirit and character at the heart of the person. If this is a tall order in a household, it is equally challenging in the marketplace where image is everything.
The second passage, I Timothy 2:9, carries the same freight, and adds the notion that it is “good deeds” that communicate whether a person’s self-described worship of God is real or not.
Question:
- Shouldn’t what applies to an individual apply to a company?
- Shouldn’t businesses led by people of faith be known for their character, spirit and good works rather than marketing symbols?
- Shouldn’t companies be so extraordinary in these metrics that the marketplace, including competitors, nod their heads in admiration for the remarkable benchmark of character and good works?
A few sentences later in I Peter 3:15, he says we are to "set apart Christ as Lord" in our hearts, and "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." The term give an answer flows from the Greek word apologia, from which we get the English apologetics — a word people often use in an argumentative sense. Here, however, we’re prepared to gently and respectfully answer those who want an explanation for our hope.
When was the last time anyone asked — directly or indirectly — about the hope you have? I’m afraid most of us either don’t recognize the question when it comes OR we don’t live lives so marked by hope that our associates feel compelled to find out why.
One more biblical image — this one from Philippians 1:27. Paul says, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." The word that’s translated as worthy here, carries the image of the scales used in the marketplace to weigh gold and other precious metals. It is the image of the gospel on one side of the scale and our conduct on the other. Our lives, Paul says, should have the same "weight" as the gospel.
And shouldn’t our business be conducted with that same weight? Shouldn’t companies operated by Christians be living demonstrations of hope — of such radical and powerful and real anticipation of God’s goodness that the marketplace can’t help asking where it comes from?
I like good marketing as much as the next fellow. And I really like it when the marketing reflects reality, and not just shiny images.
