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Advertising the church

Roy

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Site Supporter
I saw an ad in today's paper for a church.

They advertised to the general public that they were having a celebration on Sunday in honor of getting new carpet, a new sound system, and a video projection system.

Is this really necessary?

I'm sure that there are good intentions behind that ad, but it really sounds comical.

Roy
 

Johnv

New Member
In regards to the OP, it's important to differentiate between an event and a pattern. If this is a single instance of a church advertizing "we're completed renovations; come check us out" then there's probably nothign inappropriate about it. If, however, the church has a regular pattern of vanity at the expense of spirituality, then it would be a problem. I suspect this is a single-instance case, and not a pattern.
 

Roy

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Site Supporter
Brilliant deduction, Johnv. I think you may have laid this matter to rest.

Roy
 

Aaron

Member
Site Supporter
I saw an ad in today's paper for a church.

They advertised to the general public that they were having a celebration on Sunday in honor of getting new carpet, a new sound system, and a video projection system.

Is this really necessary?
YOU are your church's advertising—known and read of all men.
 

tinytim

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Really? 'Cause I would think....so? I don't care about your sound system. What are you preaching? That's why I care about. But that's just me. :wavey:


Yeah, that thought would go through there somewhere... but my marketing/advertising lessons in college shine through sometimes.. and I have a tendency to over-evaluate advertising...

I often think, "I wonder what the demographic target is thinking when they see this"...

Who would they be trying to reach out too?

And from the info in the OP, it would seem they are trying to reach out to the audio/video generation (Those under 40)

I can't tell if it is to attract non-believers, or trying to steal sheep.

But being under 40, I can tell you that they will not attract unbelievers by simply advertising they have new A/V equipment... OR carpet! I mean, our generation doesn't care what type of carpet a church has!

It wreaks of self-promotion on non-essential elements in a religious setting.

It also says, "look at us, we are able to afford new toys"...

A better way to advertise such a service would be a "dedication" service in which the church invites others of like faith to help set apart said items for the service of the Lord. This at least puts some of the emphasis on God, and not themselves.
 

Roy

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Site Supporter
It's too bad that we (Baptist Board Members) and all of our church congregations can't just drop everything, charter busses in each of our towns, and make a surprise trip to the church in question on the day of the big celebration.

Wouldn't that be a hoot?

Roy
 

Lux et veritas

New Member
Well here's my idea of how to advertise a church. It's taken from Mark 2:1-2
1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.


Get down on your knees and get serious before God and pray until sin is given up and the Spirit of God falls upon His church and preach the Word in all its power and beauty and don't stop praying until JESUS IS IN THE HOUSE, and that will be its own drawing power.

Men do not warm themselves before a painted fire. When we lose the real, felt presence of Christ in our gatherings, all the advertising in the world is about as useful as installing new springs on a rusty old car in the junkyard.
 
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