Sometimes we pour so much energy into a project that we just know that this is it!
This is the piece that will get us over the hump.
This is the email that will clear everything up.
This is the event that will pull everyone together.
This is the sermon that will drive people to their knees to accept Christ.
But then….nothing.
I know where you’re coming from. As a marketing and communications professional for nearly 15 years, I know the pain of investing time and effort into something to only see it fizzle — or even fail.
It’s disappointing. It’s discouraging. You feel you let your team down. Why can’t people see what you see? Why don’t people see the value in this thing? Why are they not responding?
One piece of advice I can give is: Don’t look for the silver bullet. Look for the golden opportunities.
Church marketing involves a lot of things — prayer, outreach, ministry, evangelism, free coffee, in-depth Bible study, thank you notes, child care, casseroles, sermons, hand shakes, sports camps, potlucks, knocking on doors, hospital visits, concerts, sharing testimonies….
Look at Jesus’ approach to ministry.
Our Lord and Savior didn’t just walk the earth to heal people.
He prayed. He preached. He healed. He brought dead people back to life. He forgave those who wronged Him. He met spiritual needs. He met physical needs. He included those who were excluded. He defended the defenseless. He resisted Satan. He lived a sinless life. He performed miracles. He honored the faithful. He turned water into wine. He cast out demons. He loved God and He loved others.
John the Apostle finished his Gospel with this line: “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
And you’d think that if there was ever a trump card to be played, history’s Ultimate Silver Bullet, it would’ve been dying on a cross and rising again three days later. How awesome!
Yet, no matter what He did to convince the world, people still don’t believe. And we’re told that, no matter what happens, some people still won’t believe.
But we have to keep doing what we’re called to do — seek God, love God and others, serve others, and be the church. That requires us to be creative, proactive, and responsive to everything that comes our way.
***
If your church, conference, or small group is looking for a speaker, I’d be happy to talk to you and see how I can help by sharing about this thing we call Hands and Feet Marketing.