News
   Valley Center
   Park City
   Kechi
   Bel Aire
   School
   Sheriff
   Police & Fire
   Deaths
   Looking Back
   Heard on Main Street
Municipal Court
Sports
   School Sports
   Rec League
People
   General
   Birthdays
   Engagements & Weddings
Opinions
   Editorials
   Letters
   Commentary
Columns
Church
Advertising
   Classified
   Legal

Hope and hilarity
By Chuck Terrill
Last Updated: July 19, 2018

How a church should market  itself

A tiger met a lion as they sat beside a pool. Said the tiger to the lion, “Why are you roaring like a fool?"

“That's not foolish," said the lion with a twinkle in his eye. “They call me the king of beasts because I advertise."

A rabbit heard them talking and ran home like a streak. He thought he'd try the lion's plan, but his roar was just a squeak.

A fox came to investigate and had his lunch in the woods. And so, my friend, when you advertise, be sure you've got the goods!"

This little bit of doggerel relays a good bit of truth.

We're living in a day of one-up-man-ship and hyperbole. Every product on the market is advertised as newer, improved, bigger, better, giant-sized, super or deluxe.

The packaging may be eye appealing, but inside, the product is the same. Much effort is invested in catching the consumer's attention. The goal is to redirect a customer to a product that is relatively the same as a competitor's product.

There are many churches that are advertising new, improved, bigger, better, giant-sized, super or deluxe. They know that attractive packaging will bring new customers. Church marketing is the new goal of many churches. Rebranding a church is a popular phenomenon.

Inside the church, the pastors are the same pastors. The people are the same people. The denominational affiliation does not change. But the church is awarded a new, improved, bigger, better, giant-sized, super or deluxe name. And consumers are being redirected by the trick.

There are many Christians who believe the roar that is just a squeak. They go for the gimmicks. The hype gets them. They consider the new, improved, bigger, better, giant-sized, super or deluxe church complete with a complimentary gift card to be somehow better. Don't they realize that the product is much more important than the packaging?

The gospel is not new. It cannot be improved upon. The living word has always been bigger than life, and nothing can be better than new life through Christ.

You can hype the church as much as you want, but you can't hype Jesus. He is changeless. The message of the cross in truth, clarity and power is what matters.

While many Christians and churches are focused on methods, the unflinching message of Jesus must always be the focus of a Christ honoring church.

“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. Amen." (Romans 1:25)

Chuck Terrill is pastor of Valley Center Christian Church. Reach him at chuck@vcchristian.church or at 755-1233.




Trending Stories
Legals SEDGWICK COUNTY PUBLIC NOTICE

Valley Center Wrapped in love

Valley Center City trims street projects

Valley Center Student enrollment sees a small dip

Valley Center Contact The Ark Valley News

Other Sections
News

Sports

People

Columns

Opinion

Contact Ark Valley News | Archives