Steeples
Just finished up an article for Relevant Leader. Here's a short excerpt:
Steeples
Luke 14:23 says, "Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full."
I have a core conviction: the greatest message deserves the greatest marketing.
The word "urge" means "to demand attention." Our job as a church is to invite as many people as we can as quickly as we can. And we're called to do it in the most compelling way possible!
That used to be easy.
There was a time when nautical maps of Europe had legends that included the location of churches on land. Ships would use steeples as a navigational tool. Churches were built on choice real estate in the center of town or on the highest hill. In some places, there were ordinances against building anything higher than the church steeple so it would occupy the place closest to heaven. The church was the most visible place in town. Church was the place to go. Church was the thing to do. All they had to do was ring their church bells!
Things have changed. I think it's fair to say that it takes more than a steeple and church bells!
The Church no longer has a monopoly! We're a minority! We're not only fighting a negative stereotype by those who don't attend church. We've got some stiff competition vying for our attention.
It doesn't matter whether you're driving down the highway, surfing the net, or taking care of business in the bathroom. Advertisers are experts at getting our attention via sexy billboards and catchy pop-ups. And advertisers know you've gotta wipe. Enter toilet paper ads.
The average American is subjected to 3000 advertisements per day on non-Super Bowl Sundays. We're absolutely inundated with advertisements.
It's not easy as it used to be to compel people to come to church! We're competing for attention span in a white noise world.
Steeples
Luke 14:23 says, "Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full."
I have a core conviction: the greatest message deserves the greatest marketing.
The word "urge" means "to demand attention." Our job as a church is to invite as many people as we can as quickly as we can. And we're called to do it in the most compelling way possible!
That used to be easy.
There was a time when nautical maps of Europe had legends that included the location of churches on land. Ships would use steeples as a navigational tool. Churches were built on choice real estate in the center of town or on the highest hill. In some places, there were ordinances against building anything higher than the church steeple so it would occupy the place closest to heaven. The church was the most visible place in town. Church was the place to go. Church was the thing to do. All they had to do was ring their church bells!
Things have changed. I think it's fair to say that it takes more than a steeple and church bells!
The Church no longer has a monopoly! We're a minority! We're not only fighting a negative stereotype by those who don't attend church. We've got some stiff competition vying for our attention.
It doesn't matter whether you're driving down the highway, surfing the net, or taking care of business in the bathroom. Advertisers are experts at getting our attention via sexy billboards and catchy pop-ups. And advertisers know you've gotta wipe. Enter toilet paper ads.
The average American is subjected to 3000 advertisements per day on non-Super Bowl Sundays. We're absolutely inundated with advertisements.
It's not easy as it used to be to compel people to come to church! We're competing for attention span in a white noise world.
2 Comments:
Cool. I was just talking to a co-worker the other day who was saying he thought that churches don't have to have web pages and do advertising. Ironically (or not) I said that the church web page today is the steeple of previous generations. I'm starting to think just like you P.M. Should I be scared? Or maybe I should become a preacher!
You might get quoted on that :) The webpage is the church steeple. And the podcast is the church bell.
Cool thought.
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