Rethinking
by Chris Forbes
Free tips for getting the word out about your church from the Ministry Marketing Coach
What is lacking in many ministries can be attributed more to routine and boredom than to lack of spirituality. Sometimes, what is holding them back is our struggle as creatures of habit. We seek the security of routine.
When this happens, it’s time to rethink what you’re doing. Often, a new look at an old thing will spark a new idea that can lead to real genius. Some of the greatest ideas have come from people who had the habit of looking at things from another angle. Did you know that just rethinking about the things you take for granted can help you increase the awareness of your ministry and improve marketing?
When we look at things in a certain way, the same way, over time, they become familiar to us. Eventually we start assuming that everyone else sees and understands things in the same way we do. We miss opportunities that exist for ministry marketing because they are “invisible” to us. We don’t see them because our thinking habits have blocked them out.
For example, one church leader had difficulty attracting people to a ministry to mothers and children called Mother’s Day Out. The people in the area weren’t familiar with the term. After some rethinking, church leaders changed the name of the program to “The Day Camp for Children.” Those the church wanted to reach better understood what a “Day Camp for Children” was. The neighborhood people responded to the change and the church helped more children and mothers than ever before.
Churches all over the country have “Mother’s Day Out” programs. The term is so ingrained in church culture that it took a real jolt to help the church realize the ministry could be known by another name. All it took was a change in thinking. It wasn’t a spiritual lacking holding back the church’s ministry. It was the routine way of looking at the program.
Change your routines – improve your ministry marketing.
Action Point!
Think about the different ministries and services your church provides and perhaps take for granted. Rethink how you may be able to offer those or change those so they’ll be more attractive to the people you’re trying to reach.
