Ministry or Marketing? Lessons for the Third Millennium
Today’s churches compete against churches and synagogues compete against synagogues for members. Their competition is done through marketing. For example, if one congregation has a "family-life center" and advertises its existence, then members of other congregations without "family-life centers" are sure to chose the one with the center. These competitive congregations have found that marketing produces increased numbers. The increase in numbers seems to be the only measure legitimizing the use of marketing as a tool for growth. Oddly, after looking beneath the surface of the reason given for marketing, increased numerical growth does not seem to be its primary reason. While increased numbers do give bragging rights to carnal congregations, their purpose in gaining new members is an automatic revenue increase–the real reason behind all marketing. Alas, these congregations are just following a worldly procedure. Since increased revenue is the only reason for competition in the commercial world, by following the world’s marketing plan, are competitive religious groups identifying their true god as mammon? When churches and synagogues enter this competition they actually enter into competition with themselves. Without realizing it, these competitors wage war against each other over potential members and fail to prosecute the real war against their true enemy–Satan. Competitive congregations are only eager for what brings instant self-gratification. They seek increased numbers without ever identifying their own unique biblical purpose. They seem to be anesthetized against "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 4:12). It seems obvious that Satan would encourage congregations to fight each other rather than himself. That aside, there are two major problems created by congregational competition–division and contention. Is Christ divided?"
Shamefully, competition between congregations is so popular that it is being written about in the secular press. Rabbi Gerald L. Zelitzer of Neve Shalom Congregation, located in Metuchen-Edison, New Jersey, wrote an article "praising" competition for USA Today, Tuesday, September 28, 1999. His title was "Religions Use Retail Marketing to Compete for Converts." His tragic conclusion was, "Competition between faiths, as long as it is not coercive or done in an unethical or distasteful manner, can only serve to better the religious product of all as they rival one another in the sacred marketplace." Like many rabbis and ministers, Zelitzer errs "not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). If he did, he could never call "preaching good tidings," "binding up the brokenhearted," "proclaiming liberty to captives," or "opening prisons for those bound" (Isaiah 61:1) "the religious product." Neither could he call the potentially eternally lost "the sacred marketplace." "Competition between faiths" should not exist let alone not be done "coercively," "unethically," or "distastefully." "Ethical religious competition" is both an oxymoron and blasphemous. God can and does bless many congregations with numerical growth. God points out what causes growth in II Chronicles 15:9, Acts 2:41, and Acts 4:4. In both situations the growth was fast and numerous. But God didn’t need Madison Avenue to attract members. Nay, as He said to Zerubbabel, "Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts." The reason given for the growth mentioned in II Chronicles 15:9 is that others "saw that the Lord his God was with him." God was with him (Judah) because most of Judah (and Benjamin) had entered a covenant (verse 12) to seek the Lord with all their heart. It is interesting that in verse 13 the death penalty was invoked upon those who would not "seek" God. This appears to be the same penalty currently upon today’s non-God seeking congregations. Those who grow tend to believe they have God's approval while those who do not grow conclude God does not approve of them. This causes members to continually move from one congregation to the next thinking they will discover God’s approval at the "church of what’s happening now." Why? They are ripe candidates for marketing. Eventually, "buyer’s remorse" sets in (similar to having impulsively purchased an item due to slick advertising), and market driven congregations fill with back-row members without identity or ministry. In my opinion, it is time to follow the advice of Jeremiah (6:16), "This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it.’ " To say that the Western church and synagogue are at crossroads is a mild understatement. Both are in rapid decline. But, instead of seeking any method to provide growth, why not seek God's path? It is time to enter into a covenant to seek God with all our heart. It is not the time to install competitive marketing as a replacement for the moving of God’s Spirit. When the world sees that God is with His people, they will come in large numbers. God’s Presence is the only pure cause of growth. With God present, all congregations whether large or small will have His approval. With God present, feelings of superiority and inferiority will disappear and the focus will once again return to what constitutes a Godly congregation. God’s people should not be like Adam who tried to cover a spiritual problem with a carnal solution (fig leaf). Begin today asking this question about your congregation: "Does it offer religion or spirituality?" Regardless of size, every congregation should offer spirituality not religion. Consider Acts 2:41-42 as a trustworthy ancient path to stimulate congregational growth. It worked for Jewish believers of the first century and continues to work today.
