I ran across this recommendation from John Moore over at Brand Autopsy. This witty video parable from Beyond Relevance, “an innovative blog for the culturally strategic church”, points out how lack of authenticity in marketing and branding can actually turn away the people you are trying to reach. View this video and discuss it with your colleagues. Do you see yourselves in any of this? And what effect might it be having on your customers?
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This is very well done – full of irony and fun to watch (and all too true!). The premise of this video assumes that churches are in the "marketing" business(whether they think they are or not), and therefore have a brand presence to think about. This may set off a debate as to whether that assumption is relevant to the gospel in and of itself. Does "marketing" diminish the authenticity of the gospel, by contriving it into a culturally relevant business plan in order to gain market share? Hmmmm. I have always believed that the "Business" components simply come with the territory of being a successful organization, Christian or otherwise.
Bradley, you’re spot on. There’s lots of room for discussion on this topic. For Christian organizations I think that many times "marketing" has taken the place of genuine "presence". The Scriptures exhort us to be salt, light, seed, a sweet fragrance. These cannot be fabricated, staged, spun, or pitched. These can only come out of the innermost parts of our being, our walk with God. Individuals, organizations, communities that are authentically and unselfconsciously characterized by such things would be so dramatically different that they would be noticed. That’s the point of being light.
But such lives cannot be programmed to spiritual vitality. Attending events and lectures and showing up for other required formations, though helpful, are not sufficient. There is a serious need to rethink what we gather together to become and do.
Another thought on marketing is that it comes out of the whole business management mentality. And a fundamental assumption behind business thinking is that things need to be under control, predictable. With control, we can forecast, plan, achieve success. Churches and businesses alike operate under the premise that we can manage, market, budget, plan, strategize, organize our way to results. And it seems that things like faith, humility, dependence, love get squeezed to the margins.
These are some top of the mind and incomplete thoughts, but I hope it provokes some more dialogue.
This clip was really funny but it certainly got me thinking about how the church is perceived by the people it tries to reach.
Dan, your point that there is “…a serious need to rethink what we gather together to become and do” certainly struck a chord. I do not pastor a church but I believe we all (maybe to various degrees) have a responsibility to reach others. We really have to stop and think about if we are just trying to fill up sits in church or we really want to impact lives. I have always believed in ministering beyond the confines of a church hall and schedule and highly support taking the gospel out. Whether or not reaching people can be strategized, planned and predicted is inconclusive but I think we can be more relevant to the group(s) we hope to reach.
Thanks for sharing this.
Tirzah, I’m glad the video struck a chord. As I was reading your comment, I was struck by the thought that we often try too hard to “be relevant.” And this attempt to be relevant often ends up like trying to be fashionable with the latest trends in fashion. Seems like it’s more important to be real. If we are to be relevant, it is to actually identify with others in their humanity with all humility rather than engage in play acting a false spirituality or religiosity.
Dan, to me, being relevant means ministering to the real issues as opposed to being religious. If for example I come across a starving child that hasn’t eaten in days and I am given 1 of 2 choices; (1) say a prayer for the child believing he/she will be fed or (2) buy/cook a meal and feed the child; Realizing that it depends on how one is led to act, based on this example I am more likely to go with option 2. And that to me is being relevant, demonstrating Gods love and meeting a real need and I certainly agree with the fact that it ought to be heart felt. I agree with you but I wonder if our use of the word “relevant” in this context is slightly differ?
Tirzah, your answer is exactly right. Unfortunately in American culture what I see is that relevance is often a matter of appearance rather than of a genuine connection to the issues and needs set before me as you have so wonderfully articulated. Thanks for your example and insight.