Agreed there can be excesses and dependance upon advertising & marketing rather than the Lord. Where to draw the line is the challenge.
The following are advertising to a degree:
- a sign on the church facility
- a name written on a church vehicle
- an ad in the yellow pages
- a listing in the church section of a newspaper
- a church website
- an event (say Easter or an evangelistic event) in the newspaper
- a radio broadcast of the church services
On the other end of the spectrum...
A local church here ran radio spots prior to Fathers' Day Sunday services announcing that they would have Dale Earnhart's racing car on the church lot prior to the services so people could come and get their picture taken prior to the service.
Steve there is a difference letting people know where you are and your doctrinal stand and marketing
I have read the Saddleback books and know their method of targeting. I have read about Willow and the jazz and no worship seeker friendly services..Unless the Lord builds the house the builder builds in vain IMHO
BTW My sons SC Baptist chuch had the car too:>)
A church can fill it's church with tares or it can wait till the Lord plants the wheat..that is every pastors choice
I have one more observation the church grows the most under persecution.....it has the most life under ground...
That is just the opposite of the marketing that seems to obsess the modern church