Tuesday, October 10, 2006
The "Marketed" Church
A few days ago my Brother-in-Law Dustin wrote a post reflecting on marketing in the church. He pesented some good insight and some great questions. As I was reading for class tomorrow I came across this section in Clapp's A Peculiar People. Perhaps it will shed some light on the subject.
"Today's evangelism is marketing, and today's pastor is expected to be a marketer. The marketer-pastor appeals to desires that already exist among the unevangelized. As usual in Constantinianism, their Christianity is present, if latent now in the form of "felt needs." Notably, the Constantinian God is always tamed, always domesticated. When evangelism is marketing, God is nothing more than the guarantor (yes the sponsor) of whatever the market has already determined is good and valuable. Accordingly, adopting marketing conceptuality and methodology turns the church into an instrument for enforcing prevailing American standards-or, in an increasing pluralistic America, adopting one or another group's perception of what should be prevailing American standards."
-Rodney Clapp
Perhaps that is why groups like this exist.
"Today's evangelism is marketing, and today's pastor is expected to be a marketer. The marketer-pastor appeals to desires that already exist among the unevangelized. As usual in Constantinianism, their Christianity is present, if latent now in the form of "felt needs." Notably, the Constantinian God is always tamed, always domesticated. When evangelism is marketing, God is nothing more than the guarantor (yes the sponsor) of whatever the market has already determined is good and valuable. Accordingly, adopting marketing conceptuality and methodology turns the church into an instrument for enforcing prevailing American standards-or, in an increasing pluralistic America, adopting one or another group's perception of what should be prevailing American standards."
-Rodney Clapp
Perhaps that is why groups like this exist.
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good ideas buddy. it was great seeing you today. we need to hang out some this week. Have a great one
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