Church Marketing Sucks

Editor’s Note: Today we’ve got a youth pastor, Antwuan Malone, bringing a forward-looking perspective to our 10-year anniversary series asking if church marketing still sucks. We’ll be discussing this question all month long, so check out the other posts and share your thoughts.

Ever hear the phrase, “Talk softly but carry a big stick?” It’s an old-timey saying that suggests a simple truth: real influence often comes from doing, not shouting.

The church is doing less. At least that’s the perception. We’ve been shouting from pulpits and political stumps about rights and wrongs in our nation, but the sticks we carry are pretty small when it comes to making a real positive difference.

The Church Is Losing Ground

Society no longer trusts the church. People don’t view it as a force for social progress and justice anymore. They no longer see the church as the beacon of hope for the hopeless, as the bringer of justice to the oppressed or as the caretaker of the sick. Because of this lack of trust, the church is losing its influence with a generation that no longer gives the benefit of the doubt.

As a result, prodigal sons are not returning. Preachers are disconnecting. Local churches are struggling.

It is no wonder that atheism and humanism are the largest growing communities in America. Humanism is capitalizing on missteps of the church. It’s no wonder that church growth is largely the practice of church swapping, rather than evangelical conversation, since it seems easier to steal resources from each other than to invest resources into our cities.

We’ve got it backwards. We’re talking loudly and carrying little sticks.

Let’s Be a Commanding Presence

I dream of a generation that awakens. A generation who is willing to revive the dying whisper of the church’s influence by establishing a commanding presence in society—a presence that clears the pathway of trust by truly working toward the care and benefit of our neighborhoods and cities. A presence that catalyzes change with both spoken ideas and action.

The church in America is dying. And it’s because we’re talking in our sleep. It’s time we wake up, start making a difference and regain our place as a champion for the people. Then the ground will be ripe for the gospel we preach and Jesus will be made known. Lives can be saved.

After all, that’s what it’s all about, right?

What do you think: Does church marketing still suck?