I ran across this article by Rod Arnold, "What Smart Churches know", How Branding and Marketing Know-How can revolutionize your church". My training has always been the promotion of Jesus first and foremost and the life changing power that he gives the Church, the congregation and the community. So although I disagree with some of the things said not only by this book but many of the "marketing based church books" that are out there now, if a Pastor understands what he is called to do and is committed to that, one can glean what is good and leave what is not. Here is a taste of the article:
When someone is introduced to your church, are they interested in a second date?
The Process of Building New Relationships
If we really want our churches to grow, it's only logical that we need to be actively building relationships with new people, those who don't already know us. But how do you do this on a mass scale, with the thousands of people in your community? First of all, understand that communicating about your church is very different than marketing a soft drink or a candy bar. People don't need to know much before trying a new brand of ice cream, but a deep level of trust is required when it comes to choosing where their family will be taught and cared for, and where they will invest their time, talent and resources.
The process of attracting new people to your church—and keeping them—can be broken down into four steps:
Like us » Know us » Trust us » Join us
Let's dive into each of these steps a little more deeply, and then I'll give you some practical ways you can make this work for your church.
Step #1: Like Us
When you meet someone for the first time, you make a judgment on whether you like them. You pay attention to their personality, their sense of humor and how they interact with you. Whether we admit it or not, first impressions really are huge. We make instant decisions, often subconsciously, about whether we want to get to know that person better.
In business, a "brand" is a mental image that comes to mind when someone thinks about an organization or a product. What is the mental image that comes to mind when people think of your church? Do you make a great first impression? Does it compel them to want to get to know you better? If you could paint the perfect mental picture about your church for the people in your city, what would it look like?
"Church branding" goes way beyond creating a logo. It's about identifying what's truly unique and special about your church, and then understanding how it connects with the real needs of the people in your city. It's about expressing and articulating that special something in an authentic way every time someone touches your church.
Step #2: Know Us
If your church makes a good first impression on someone, they will want to get to know you better. They'll want to know what you think and talk about, what's important to you and what you're passionate about.
Step #3: Trust Us
Think about the people in your life who you trust—I mean really trust. Doing a trust-fall exercise on a team building retreat is great, but just because someone didn't drop you on the ground doesn't necessarily mean you're going to trust them to always have your best interest in mind.
One of the keys to developing trust is simply time. The more time we spend with people, the more we see what they are really made of. We see their character and values in action. People need time to see what your church is all about, to see if you are consistent in what you say and do, to believe that you really care about them, and to build trust.
This is especially true for many people who have been burned by church in the past. Unfortunately there are a lot of "de-churched" people out there who have been victims of church politics, gossip or disingenuous leaders. Building—or rebuilding—trust and changing their opinions about church can take some time.
Step #4: Join Us
Ultimately, your goal is for people to decide to make your church their home—to integrate into a community that loves each other, serves each other and supports each other through life's highs and lows. But getting to this decision is the result of a relationship, not a transaction. And healthy relationships are a progressive process of discovery.
The Process of Building New Relationships
If we really want our churches to grow, it's only logical that we need to be actively building relationships with new people, those who don't already know us. But how do you do this on a mass scale, with the thousands of people in your community? First of all, understand that communicating about your church is very different than marketing a soft drink or a candy bar. People don't need to know much before trying a new brand of ice cream, but a deep level of trust is required when it comes to choosing where their family will be taught and cared for, and where they will invest their time, talent and resources.
The process of attracting new people to your church—and keeping them—can be broken down into four steps:
Like us » Know us » Trust us » Join us
Let's dive into each of these steps a little more deeply, and then I'll give you some practical ways you can make this work for your church.
Step #1: Like Us
When you meet someone for the first time, you make a judgment on whether you like them. You pay attention to their personality, their sense of humor and how they interact with you. Whether we admit it or not, first impressions really are huge. We make instant decisions, often subconsciously, about whether we want to get to know that person better.
In business, a "brand" is a mental image that comes to mind when someone thinks about an organization or a product. What is the mental image that comes to mind when people think of your church? Do you make a great first impression? Does it compel them to want to get to know you better? If you could paint the perfect mental picture about your church for the people in your city, what would it look like?
"Church branding" goes way beyond creating a logo. It's about identifying what's truly unique and special about your church, and then understanding how it connects with the real needs of the people in your city. It's about expressing and articulating that special something in an authentic way every time someone touches your church.
Step #2: Know Us
If your church makes a good first impression on someone, they will want to get to know you better. They'll want to know what you think and talk about, what's important to you and what you're passionate about.
Step #3: Trust Us
Think about the people in your life who you trust—I mean really trust. Doing a trust-fall exercise on a team building retreat is great, but just because someone didn't drop you on the ground doesn't necessarily mean you're going to trust them to always have your best interest in mind.
One of the keys to developing trust is simply time. The more time we spend with people, the more we see what they are really made of. We see their character and values in action. People need time to see what your church is all about, to see if you are consistent in what you say and do, to believe that you really care about them, and to build trust.
This is especially true for many people who have been burned by church in the past. Unfortunately there are a lot of "de-churched" people out there who have been victims of church politics, gossip or disingenuous leaders. Building—or rebuilding—trust and changing their opinions about church can take some time.
Step #4: Join Us
Ultimately, your goal is for people to decide to make your church their home—to integrate into a community that loves each other, serves each other and supports each other through life's highs and lows. But getting to this decision is the result of a relationship, not a transaction. And healthy relationships are a progressive process of discovery.
Excerpt from Rod Arnold, What Smart Churches Know
1 comment:
Pastor Owens, thank you for sharing this article. It will help me with the finishing polish for my "Sunday Sermon" this coming Lord's Day.
Keep running,
Ron
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