Ministry Marketing CoachMinistry Branding and Marketing that Works

Our Media-saturated Culture and Society

Other spiritual forces are at work and secular ideas are being pushed in the mainstream marketplace using media channels. Groups with immoral objectives are working in ways that countermand our goal to bring the truth of the gospel to our world. We need to be more proactive in communicating the message using media!

We live in a world that is dominated by communication channels. Our culture has become dependent on media for values. Our society communicates using media. Some see this as evidence of our impending downfall. They may be right, but, looking at it another way—this may be our greatest opportunity to impact the world through Christ.

In his day, the Apostle Paul used every available means to communicate in his context. He spoke Greek; he wrote letters; he made speeches; he traveled the Roman Empire on the roman roads. He entered into discussion at every level of society from kings to the lowly pauper.

“To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23)

A Slavish-Obsession?

The Apostle Paul knew the secret to ministry communication was to take getting an understanding of the people he wanted to reach as a form of service (or slavery) in order to bring the gospel to them in a way that was relevant to their understanding. People who do not understand this point miss the opportunity to make more impact with the gospel in their community.

How dedicated are you to understanding the people you want to reach and adapting your presentation and approach to them? I might paraphrase the scripture above from Paul as, “I am slavish in my adaptation of the presentation and approach to various people because I want to make the gospel more understandable to the people I am trying to reach.”

If you turned this around, you could say that if you are trying to reach all people with the same single presentation and approach, you are (according to Paul) an ineffective evangelist. By not understanding your audience you are not taking serving others in your communication ministry very seriously. If you are just making it easy and convenient for you and not the people you want to reach–you are not doing your job as a ministry communicator. And, if I read Paul right, you have little reason to expect results!

Once Again, It’s Not About You

It doesn’t really matter if you like the copy or the graphics. It’s not very important that the presentation appeals to your taste and piques your interest. It’s not about you! If you are trying to reach other people, you need to take their perspectives as your starting point. Just because you think it sounds right, doesn’t mean it will connect with the people you want to reach. Sometimes communication leaders can unknowingly become arrogant toward the unchurched by assuming they understand more about them than they really do!

Paul was a bridge builder. He built relationship bridges between himself and the people he wanted to reach. But notice he did not build a bridge from himself out to his audience…instead he built bridges from the people he targeted back to himself. There is a world of difference!

Getting to know more about the people you want to reach isn’t just good missionary practice, it’s also a way to demonstrate your love for people and is an act of ministry. That is exactly how Paul saw it!

Hint: Your marketing could be failing because you haven’t been thinking about your audience enough and thinking about your design preferences too much.