6 Comments

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• Chris
• Sep 17, 2008, 11:22
Free ice cream? This sounds more like marketing than evangelism, if you ask me. I was given free sample food at the mall food court, too, as an enticement to come for more.
The problem with the free ice cream or free gas or other product-based outreach efforts is that they do not reflect what being in church is really about – relationship with God, relationship with the Body of Christ in that congregation, and relationship with the world through God and that congregation. Product giveaways simply reflect the commercialist and consumerist nature of our society. Rather than offer a contrasting Way of Life, this church seems to lure customers (ahem, congregants) with a very comfortable and familiar sales pitch.
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• Thomas
• Sep 17, 2008, 12:21
Chris, I definitely understand where you are coming from. 
As a member of this church I can assure you that we are offering a contrasting Way of Life at The Plant.  However, I do think your criticism is worth consideration.  It was something we tried, and it served the purpose of getting our information out into the community.  Next time, we hope to have an article about how we are helping to clean up the community or helping those in need.  
But at first, we were just trying to meet people where they were at, which is at home and in parks.  And instead of going door to door knockin’ and talkin’ we decided to hand out ice cream and then talk to them about The Plant, what it is about, and how to attend one of our services.
What suggestions would you give for how to publicize a community?
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• Ellen
• Sep 17, 2008, 12:33
Hmm, well if it were Starbucks Java Chip ice cream I could see it. Otherwise, it feels like the old gimicky, attractional stuff to get butts in seats because it still has that “you must come in to us and buy our product” flavor. Not too long ago we had a community car wash – and people were incredulous that we simply wanted to serve the community – donations were refused, no agendas attached. A local shop owner said to one of our pastors: “I thought churches weren’t supposed to be nice to people.” It’s still a real paradigm shift to not see the “goal” of service as bringing more in and to believe that extending the hand of friendship and maybe planting a seed of faith hope and love through connection is enough. (And to nurture that same seed within our own selves as well. Maybe Jesus will actually be revealed in it all.)
But who knows – is our service to the community a “better” ice cream flavor? Is it more missional at heart? Maybe their desire truly is to reach out in friendship and to show that not all church is UnChristian. I think we are too hard on each other sometimes. There’s problems within all forms of how we “do” church.
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• Chris
• Sep 17, 2008, 13:29
Hey there . . .
I admit to not ever trying to start up a new church. As a Lutheran I have been a member of congregations ranging from 275 years old (with Revolutionary War soldiers buried in the church yard) to 40 years old. Working from the position of established – but small-medium sized – congregations I have “advertised” in high school arts and sports programs, and opened church doors for community youth events. We’ve also done the “free car wash” thing, which to me can still have that consumerist tone but seems a bit more service oriented than food give-aways . . .
I don’t envy your position as a “start-up,” and perhaps in that light your outreach efforts are creative and commendable. But assuming you already have a core group of people, there are the simple “bring a friend” initiatives, mailers, flyers, door-to-door or event-based (high school football game?) evangelism, etc.. But the truth is, I’m not sure – I haven’t engaged much in direct evangelism/outreach efforts. I know when I see a technique or method that makes me nervous, but I’m not entirely sure what I would do if I were in your shoes . . .
Blessings to you, and thanks for the thoughtful dialogue.
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• Thomas
• Sep 18, 2008, 5:57
Ellen and Chris both make very good points.  I think the dynamic that all missionally minded churches must go through is that you cannot become "missional" with the stroke of a magic wand.  Becoming missional takes time.  Time to retrain Christian’s bad habits and steer Christians into an authentic lifestyle.  Time to reteach the local community that Church is about the Kingdom and the Way and not about offerings, dogma, doctrine, and dangling each other over the pits of hell.
Missional must be a prossess—not another label.
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• lenen
• Sep 22, 2008, 10:15
What’s wrong with a bit of marketing? You have a website about liturgy. Since when does God appear online? Marketing the church is a good thing, in my opinion. In this way God loses his "historical" image. At least in my opinion..