[Note from Chris: We continue our posting of the classic public domain book by James Engel. Thanks for reading along! As you read this section, don't get wrapped up in the age of the technology of the media below, there are lessons to be learned about media channels that still apply today. Often churches are too enamored with the media they use and fail to understand the people they want to reach. Learn to match (sync) the media with your intended target. I think that is the take away message from Seth Godin's new book Meatball Sundae. It's time to fall out of love with your website, divorce your stock image catalog, give your Avid editor a "Dear John" letter...love people and communicate with them!]
From the 1975 classic “WHAT’S GONE WRONG WITH THE HARVEST” by James Engel
Media
The most fundamental consideration in selecting the communication media is to go where the prospects are! This implies, in a North American setting at least, that it is becoming increasingly unreasonable to expect many to gather at church for an evangelistic service. People exercise a unique ability to avoid exposure when they know they are a target for persuasive communication, and this is particularly true in an environment where the Church is suspect. Let it also be clearly noted, however, that this is by no means true worldwide. In fact, quite the opposite is often the case in South America, for example. Thus it is impossible to present hard and fast generalizations about media. All that can be stated are some general factors that tend to hold true in most situations.
Secular Radio. Radio is one of the most remarkable media of our time. In even the most underdeveloped countries of the world, most people are within the reach of a radio set. Listenership in the more advanced areas is phenomenal. In the United States, for example, the average household has more than five radio sets, 12 and over 90 percent of all adults in Australia listen to commercial radio on a given day. 13 It is a highly personal medium that can be enjoyed in almost any setting.
Radio has long been used as a significant means of proclaiming the gospel. Missionary short-wave radio spans the globe continuously and plays a valuable role in stimulating awareness of, and interest in, the gospel. Missionary radio in Haiti has done such an effective job in proclamation that door-to-door witness by laymen now invariably sees unprecedented numbers of true and lasting decisions for Jesus Christ. The role of radio in “effecting” actual conversions, however, is much less, although it can and does happen. As a general rule, radio is best used for proclamation.
George Calderone was significantly affected by a spot announcement on his way home. That announcement struck him right at his point of need. Furthermore, it did not turn him off by “churchy” words. Rather, it accomplished much by stimulating his interest in the fact that the gospel might have something real to say about his current dilemma, He was reached where he was in terms that were most meaningful to him.
The Rollingwood strategy could make legitimate use of similar spot announcements. If these are placed to be aired during driving times to and from work, there could be some real gains in both awareness and attitude shift.
Christian Radio. Some churches would quickly turn to a Christian radio station and solicit its help in this outreach. Generally, however, this would be most inappropriate. This probably is a controversial conclusion, and the reasons need to be stated clearly. Remember the human tendency to avoid unwanted communication. This is referred to as selective exposure. The result is that Christian radio stations (i.e., those airing mostly programs of hymns and preaching) reach Christians almost exclusively. There are some exceptions, of course, and an occasional person is converted, but these are the exceptions and not the rule. The major role of Christian radio is to cultivate the Christian.
Television. Much that was said about secular radio may also be said about television. It, too, is becoming a worldwide medium, and only those who are most isolated or most impoverished are beyond its reach. In the United States it is watched over six hours a day by the average person,14 and viewing time in Australia exceeds three hours.15 Furthermore, people genuinely like television and turn to it as their favorite medium for entertainment and escape. 16
Presently, Rollingwood is reached only by stations from the larger city. Thus, it would be inadvisable to consider any use of television, because of wasted coverage. But what will happen as cable television and community antenna systems grow? About 25 percent of American homes will soon be wired for cable television,17 and this could quickly make dozens of channels available for use right in Rollingwood. The church now has a great opportunity if this new advancement is used correctly.
The very worst strategy (let us repeat, the very worst strategy) would be to purchase television equipment (which is becoming quite inexpensive) and rush on the air with something such as a church service. Unfortunately, this very suggestion was recently made in a widely disseminated trade publication, although other writers were much more cautious.’8 Always keep the viewers’ psychology uppermost in mind. Experience to date indicates the only ones who are most likely to watch a televised church service are those members who decided to stay home that morning. If a person won’t go to a worship service in a church building, why will he watch it on the screen? What we don’t need now is a rush to this medium with ill-conceived, “home-made,” poorly-thought-out strategies.
In the future it might be appropriate to explore production of locally originated shows for local cable TV, focusing on real people and presenting their Christian experience in a realistic and credible fashion. Other shows might feature the work of the church in meeting community needs and in other areas of service.
Print. Books, tracts, and magazines will always be useful tools for persuasion and proclamation (assuming people can read). The advantage is that the content may be pinpointed to the individual in terms of his current state of need, spiritual status, and lifestyle. Such magazines as Faith at Work, Campus Life, Guideposts, and Collegiate Challenge have been especially effective for this purpose when distributed by discerning lay people. In addition, certain Christian books have sold remarkably well in the secular market worldwide, the most notable recent example being The Late Great Planet Earth. 19 That book speaks effectively to concerns on the minds of the masses, and the gospel is presented with great clarity in this context. Books of this kind are often distributed in secular outlets such as drugstores and supermarkets, and sales are often quite high. Similar experience with other Christian books is also reported from other literate countries like Japan.
Films. In many parts of the world film is one of the best evangelistic tools. The key, of course, is to present content that is of interest over and beyond its Christian message. Often whole communities will gather for such an occasion. This may also be true in a North American country, the success of Billy Graham films and the Moody Science films being two cases in point. Once again, the greatest impact usually is in proclamation — building awareness and interest — although the yield of decisions also may be high at times.
Audio cassettes. The audio cassette is a recent medium gaining popularity since the onset of inexpensive tape playback units. There has been some careful experimentation, especially in Thailand and other Asian countries, in the use of this medium as an evangelistic tool. It seems to be most appropriately used after the stage of initial awareness and interest has been reached. In this way, tapes may be carefully chosen and tailored to the individual. There are numerous instances in which tapes have been used to bring people right to the point of decision. Surprisingly, the tape has even surpassed personal witness in bringing Muslims in Asia to make an initial decision for Christ.
In nonliterate countries, the audiocassette represents an underutilized medium. In Indonesia, for example, six major Christian publishers are producing books for a population in which 90 percent or more have neither sufficient literacy nor the economic means to permit the purchase of a book. In such instances, this is a gross waste of the resources of the church. How much better if the same resources were placed into the mass distribution of tape players and tapes. This strategy has been used in Thailand, and missionaries often find whole tribes or communities predisposed and ready to accept Christ when they are afterward given the opportunity to do so through personal witness.
Cassettes could be utilized in Rollingwood, although their distribution must be through laymen. George Calderone, for example, might have been given cassettes and he could have been helped in this manner to see the meaning of the Christian answer to his problems.
Lay witness. There is no question that lay witness generally will be the most effective way to bring people to decision. It possesses high credibility and it obviously is the most personal of all media. Rarely will a segment be eflectively evangelized through the mass media without personal witness.
We saw an example of how concerned laymen reached the Calderones by personal witness. They did so on the basis of a keen understanding of their backgrounds and spiritual status. In this sense, they were acting properly in showing a clear picture to George and Sally of the true significance of Christianity. They were not slaves to a given method but were sensitive servants of the Spirit.
If Rollingwood were more “Christianized” in the sense that greater numbers were in the problem-recognition stage (stage -3, Figure 3), it is likely that a saturation campaign of door-to-door witness might succeed. At this point, however, it is doubtful whether it would have much success. A better strategy would be to open avenues of communication in each neighborhood where Christian lay people get to know their neighbors both individually and in groups. In this way, they will actively assess spiritual status and tailor communication accordingly. Books and tapes, plus home evangelistic Bible studies, might prove successful. At the same time the mass media, such as radio, also will be functioning to stimulate interest and enhance the effectiveness of the personal witness.
Much insight can be gained from the wealth of studies done on the “diffusion of innovations.” 20 One of the most interesting findings is that new ideas often penetrate into a social setting as follows:
Innovator > Early adopter > Early majority >Late majority > Laggard
This suggests that some people (the innovators) are more prone to accept an innovation than others. Often these are the ones who are most exposed to the world outside of a specific social setting, particularly through the mass media. Once they accept the innovation, another group, the early adopters, will often follow along by accepting the example of the innovator. These are followed by the early majority, and so on. Most social settings will be characterized by people in each of these categories, and the greatest personal impact can be made first by reaching the innovator who then reaches others. Campus outreach, for example, logically begins with a focus on the campus leader, and the same can be done in an office, afternoon bridge club, or neighborhood softball team.
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