Religious Marketing

I thought I’d take the time on Good Friday to write a quick post about marketing religion and religious services.  I get it.  I’ve been there.  I worked in a church for three years and was regularly involved in “getting people to church.”  They call it “outreach.”  It can be done with door-to-door brochure/flyer leaving.  Cheesy church signs.  Cheesy banners.  One year, our youth group did it with a Christmas caroling event in the neighborhood near the church.

Now, it’s unending Facebook statuses with links to flyers which are starting to look more and more like posters for concerts.  If it’s not Facebook, it’s Twitter.  And sooo many of the statuses end with things like, “See you there!”  Which is almost like a command to go.

It’s an attempt to get more people in the door.  I get it.

But what’s the point?  To shove religion down people’s throat?  I’ve done the whole alter call thing, the baptism thing, all of it.  When I log in to Facebook, I’m not excited to see “Come to church this weekend!  Let Jesus work in your life and Such and Such Church.” 

It’s often said about Christianity, “It’s a relationship, not a religion.”  K, so I see that on your Facebook profile, but then I see your status telling me to go to your religious service.  I understand the religious service is to help with your relationship, but why does it have to be marketed?  And you’re telling people to go to your service.  If they feel that services are part of their relationship, then they should be fine going to the church the regularly go to.  Why have them go to yours?  Is your church better than another church?  And if they don’t go to any church ever, why should they go on Easter or Christmas?  Why on a regular Sunday?  Just because the music is extra special and maybe the pastor is using a video clip or the drama team is doing a sketch...?

That said, it’s a relationship.  So maybe rather than posting “Come to Easter Sunday at MY church,” say, “Let’s do coffee,” to someone specific who you feel may “need” the Easter talk.  Establish a relationship with that person so they can understand Christianity.  It makes more sense to start a relationship with Christ through a relationship with a Christian.  Since Christ was all about love anyhow, may as well love on someone and then see if they wanna come to church.

This isn’t me saying, “Christians suck” or “Jesus people suck.”  This is me saying that marketing religion seems stupid and doesn’t like how Jesus wouldda done it.  I don’t see a point in marketing church through internet means and billboards that say things like, “Church like never before...”  Just doesn’t seem right to spend money on stuff like that (not that Facebook generally costs), and then walk down the street and see 12 homeless people and determine to pray for them.

Point is: religious media kinda bugs me.  It’s not really the point of a relationship with Christ from what I know and I see little to no reason to create religious marketing when a relationship with a person will do way more than a sign or a status or a what have you.