What Are We Advertising?

Compartmentalizing is the American way. Don’t ever let your peas touch those mashed potatoes, and heaven forbid the cream gravy venture beyond its designated territory atop the chicken-fried steak! Labeling only comes naturally with this mindset as well. Determination to keep the “nonprofit” nametag at the business convention is the kiss of death for any organization seeking to make its own money rather than begging for charity or checking between the couch cushions. If only advertising was so simple.

Envision a twenty-first century office floor, maybe even your own. Keeping the creative sector separated from the big-business cubicles is a common practice in many offices. As for the accountants, they might as well be quarantined in their own building, only accessible while wearing a HAZMAT suit to prevent the deadly transmittal of progressive ideas. The only way for growth is to keep each type in their own compartment, with their own skill sets, doing their own individual jobs. And to be fair, this works for some.

Churches, like most other social organizations want to grow. They are, after all, social. But unlike other nonprofits, churches are driven not by mere social gain or even to provide a service to a specific demographic. They exist (hopefully) to spread what is known as the Gospel. In other words, they want to grow Christianity as a whole.

This poses a very complex question that in many churches, and by too many advertisers is vastly overlooked. What are we advertising? Ultimately, the end goal is not about the new message series or the potluck dinner. Churches are advertising to gain souls, not just numbers.

Rather than ranting about all that the church does wrong when it comes to this question, I will let you rummage around in your memory for the stereotypical church flyer that has probably collected enough dust in your brain to be unrecognizable by now. Instead, let us look at an example that does it right.

Barabbas Road Church in San Diego, Calif. looks at advertising for their church and evangelism with a united front. Their name isn’t accidental and they didn’t open a bible like a magic eight ball, choosing the first proper noun that their eyes landed on. Their name was meant to evoke questions, and they are more than ready to give you answers. (In an effort to give full disclosure, I must admit now that I did work with this church in the summer of 2008.)

Even their web address: www.WhoIsBarabbas.com promotes their missionally minded church model and pushes the viewer to literally ask, “Who is Barabbas?” Furthermore, the website goes on to explain who Jesus is in his entirety and connects people not with their own church ministries, but with outside resources to help develop their faith. Barabbas Road keeps in mind that their purpose for existence is not to build on church attendance, but on a solid foundation and relationship with Jesus.

When so many other churches and religious organizations view advertising and evangelism as two clashing entities, they do not. Their church grows tremendously, feeding off its bold marketing strategies that in turn get more promotion and clout with each new member. Collaboration, not compartmentalization, weaves a support system that strengthens their religious ministries and their advertising agenda mutually, with the very idea of separating the two (like I just did) being unimaginable.

Perhaps, instead of asking what we are advertising, we should be asking who since ultimately even the most masterful conceptions that Creative Suite® could ever give birth to will in the end amount to nothing. I doubt they have MacBook Pros in heaven, although one can only hope.