Church Marketing 101

L. Reising Richard

Description

Over 90 percent of all Christian churches in the United States have fewer than 200 members. While they vary in shape, size, ethnicity, and denomination, they have one thing in common: the desire to grow. So why is it that some churches fail to grow for years, while other congregations in the same community increase exponentially?The problem, says church marketing authority Richard Reising, is that most churches should not be doing promotion. Instead, they should focus on the preparation that will make members eager to invite others. In ChurchMarketing 101®, he demystifies basic marketing principles for the church, evaluates them against biblical principles, and illustrates how simple changes can remove roadblocks that hinder members from reaching out. Reising's simple yet insightful approach will be invaluable to pastors and ministry leaders from churches of all denominations and styles.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2006
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441200310
• Langue: English

Extrait

Richard Reising gets the power of a brand! His perspectives on today s cultural perceptions of the church are extremely insightful. Church leaders need to read this book.
Darren Whitehead, director of Next Gen Ministries, Willow Creek Community Church
Richard Reising approaches the subject of church marketing with the brilliance of a businessman and the passion of a pastor. Required reading for every pastor in America.
Brad Abare, founder of Personality and the Center for Church Communication
Jesus challenged his followers not to marginalize their influence but rather to leverage their light for maximum reach. This is the essence of church and ministry marketing. Richard Reising has done a great service to all who are interested in increasing the influence of the gospel by writing ChurchMarketing 101 . He is repelled by marketing based on hype or half-truths. Richard Reising calls us to market the ministry in our stewardship truthfully, biblically, and undergirded by a clear mission. You will finish this book with a clearer head and a hotter heart!
Dr. David Shibley, president, Global Advance
As a pastor of a 13,000 member church, I can testify that church marketing is not an oxymoron. Every church has a reputation in its community. Richard Reising has given us a tremendous advantage by writing how every church can enhance its effectiveness in sharing the claims of Jesus Christ. This book is a must-read for anyone who is committed to reaching their community with the gospel.
Dr. David Dykes, author, pastor, Green Acres Baptist Church, Tyler, Texas
Reising converts lofty corporate marketing strategies into simple, Christ-centered and people-focused principles. I can see its role in increasing the effectiveness and connectedness of both church and ministry. Any organization will take away a clearer sense of vision and a greater understanding of how to get there.
Dave Dravecky, bestselling author and founder of Outreach of Hope
The church is the hope of the world. ChurchMarketing 101 reveals the principles necessary to focus the message of Christ like a laser at targeted groups. Richard Reising has an important message for the church to hear and apply.
Robert Morris, senior pastor, Gateway Church, Southlake, Texas
In his work ChurchMarketing 101 we meet a man passionate about his vision, not a vision for marketing but a vision for so much more. Richard Reising has a heart for the church because he has a heart for the church s task of reaching others with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Richard does not take a cookie-cutter approach to marketing, but makes every effort to establish a biblical approach as to how to grow a healthy church on its own terms. Such a healthy church will produce healthy people filled with the attractiveness of Christ. This book aims to set each church free from confusion and ineffectiveness, so that each church can achieve the excellence God calls it to and reach as many as possible. It is this vision that fuels Richard Reising s passion, and it is this passion that makes ChurchMarketing 101 worth reading and implementing.
Dr. Bill Lawrence, president, Leader Formation International
ChurchMarketing 101
ChurchMarketing 101
Preparing Your Church for Greater Growth
Richard L. Reising
2006 by Richard L. Reising
Published by Baker Books a division of Baker Publishing Group P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287 www.bakerbooks.com
Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-for example, electronic, photocopy, recording-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reising, Richard, 1972- ChurchMarketing 101 : preparing your church for greater growth / Richard Reising.
p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-8010-6592-5 (pbk.)
1. Church marketing. I. Title: ChurchMarketing one hundred one. II. Title: ChurchMarketing one hundred and one. III. Title: Church marketing 101. IV. Title. BV652.23.R45 2006 254-dc22
2005023437
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture marked NIV is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
Scripture marked NRSV is taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture marked KJV is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture marked NCV is taken from the New Century Version . Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture marked ESV is taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications, Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.
I am honored by God to have a wife who inspires and encourages me every step along the way. I dedicate this work to you, Michele, and to my family, my team, and to the many people who have stirred and challenged me forward in this adventurous Christian walk. I likewise dedicate this work to the church, which is ever sharpening its efforts to do more and reach more for the cause of Christ.
Contents
Introduction
1. What Is Church Marketing?
The Premise
The Definition of Marketing
A Biblical Foundation for Marketing
A Biblical Charge for Marketing
Moving Forward
2. How Marketing Affects Every Area of Your Church
Where Perception Comes From
Reading between the Lines
Church Marketing Gone Wrong
Stumbling Blocks and Building Blocks
Moving Forward
3. Perceiving Their Perception
Man Looks on the Outside
Processing Perspective
Sitting in Their Seat
Re-engineering the Church Promotion Process
Moving Forward
4. Understanding Your Target Markets
The Biblical Foundation for Target Marketing
Dealing with Demographics
Basic Human Needs
Calculating Psychographics
Lingering with the Masses
Moving Forward
5. Fundamentals of Growth
Where Growth Comes From
Origins of Lateral Growth
Origins of Vertical Growth
The Value of Value
Moving Forward
6. Creating an Atmosphere That Fosters Growth
Setting the Atmospherostat
Ministry from the Outside In
Spiritual Signposts
Creating a Ministry Pattern
Moving Forward
7. Marketing Secrets of the Big Boys
Students of Culture
Nailing the Perceived Need
Living in an Experiential World
Different Strokes (Segmentation)
Moving Forward
8. The Branding Iron
Spies and Strategies
The Essence of Branding
Shaping Iron
Where Design Fits In
Communication Is Only Everything
Moving Forward
9. A Vision for the Future
Preparing to Be Visionary
Knowing Your Destiny
Making It Plain
Moving Forward
10. Putting It All Together
Diagnosing Your Today
Building a Bridge
Essential Action Items
Moving Forward
Notes
Introduction
What began as a vision written on tear-stained pages on a drafty bus in West Mexico has developed into a lifetime passion to see the body of Christ do more and reach more as our time approaches. God, as He has with all of us, set me up. He sent me to college initially as an engineering major, knowing that I would see no end there, and led me daily through a journey with a major detour into a marketing class. One day as I sat in class, my heart seemed to pound out of my chest. I knew almost instantly that this was what I was called to do-but it was years before I began to apprehend that for which He had apprehended me. From that point forward, I would spend years utilizing my marketing skills in the real world without ever envisioning their application in the church, despite having been in volunteer and part-time ministry since I was seventeen. Then, while on a missions trip in Mexico, I had a bus ride with God.
I knew that day my life had taken on a new direction. It was not an audible voice but rather the still small one that the Scripture reveals. After days of pursuing Him to resolve this life-changing feeling that had no definition, God poured into my heart a calling to teach the church about marketing. Out of nowhere, these words echoed in my heart. The church still promoted itself as if it was time-warped in the 1950s. It had in so many places lost its ability to connect with the outside world.
At the time, church marketing was hardly spoken of. I had never even thought about this colossal disconnection with the world before, but suddenly it was so clear. I was inspired and comforted as I began to recognize that the fundamentals of marketing strategy such as demographics, packaging, and basic psychology, which the corporate world relied on, were fully applicable to the church. Even more, many of the marketing strategies I had implemented were actually complementary to Scripture.
I began to recognize that churches were scratching their heads left and right, struggling for growth and not understanding what was creating shrinkage or sustained success. I sat in awe, challenged by the God of the universe to move forward in a dream, to build a team, and to shout a new passion from the rooftops.
I shared it with Michele, my then-girlfriend, now my wife, who interrupted me to say that God had given her a similar dream that very week. Six months later we married and were off to Arizona to follow God, who was taking us to the next step in a wild ride. I was offered a position