Posted by
GeorgeBruno on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:54:09 AM
Seth Godin in his latest blog shows the power of smart copywriting at http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ "Free taste test...Are we better than Starbucks? It's turns traditional advertising copy on its ear.
Turning tradition on its ear.
Hmmm...can this be applied to church growth?
The reality is that when people come to our churches, they are comparing it to something...another church, a concert, a theater, a cafe...something.
People will get a certain vibe when they walk in, they will get a certain vibe during the service and sermon, they will get a certain vibe as they leave. Are we in charge of that vibe? Do we take full responsibility for that vibe?
As I travel and speak on Peak Vocal Skills, I tell people that they need to take full responsibility for their message, for people understanding their message, for people knowing their name, etc. How people perceive you is your responsibility. The vibe they get when in your presence is your responsibility. When people forget your name, it is not their fault, it is yours. Take responsibility for it all. That could include making your message simpler, creating interactive sessions, providing take-away items, being relevant, and being the speaker they keep talking about.
Is it possible to switch up the church paradigm without diluting the message of Christ?
What if you created a church that was a TOTAL game changer?
Like the old houses at the Jersey shore. It would be way too much work to rehab it, so they just tear it down and build a new one. The common name for those houses are "tear-downs". That's how the realtors relate to them when you call to inquire about them. In the real estate world, that refers to a property where the actual real estate is worth more than the structure on that property. Yeah, the architecture is cool and sentimental. Yeah, they dont make'em like that anymore, Yeah, it is a memorial to yesteryear...BUT...is it practical? Will it accomodate your family? Is it safe? Is it up to modern day codes? Rhetorical questions.
Is your church a "tear-down"? Would it be easier to just plow it down and start from scratch? Not literally tear it down...but tear down how you do church...and re-build it? Yeah, the current church is a sentimental memorial? Yeah, Grandpa was a deacon there. Yeah, I was raised there. Yeah, the liturgy is the same liturgy that great grandma loved, etc, etc.
Yes, there is beauty in tradition...but could something really good happen if you started changing the game?
Just a thought.