Your Church's Image in the Community, Part 3
Hi All,
We are continuing on with some thoughts related to your church's image in the community.
We are talking about this because image is important. Jesus had an image in Israel as the one who came to proclaim release to the captives and hope for the widows and orphans. Your church has in an image in town as well. It is what and how people think of you. People will never attend a church which is incompatible with their own image of what they believe is important and good. So your church's image must appeal to that which is highest, truest, and good. Help people to envision who they might be if only they were to include God or Christ in their life.
We've already talked about why it is important, and how to find out your church's image in your community. Now, our concern is How to Shape Your Church's Image in the Community.
This is the slow part. You cannot instantly reshape or reform a church's image, if you have been around for a while. Now, if you are a church plant, you have an (almost) blank slate before you, and there is a lot you can do right at the beginning. But even church plants begin to shape a community image by the name they choose, by the location they choose to meet at, by the type of advertising they do, by some of their early events and message series. When we were launching a new church at one point, I did a phone survey of random strangers in the community we were targeting. I asked them their preference for various church names, giving them a sample of three to choose from. I learned a few things in the process. For example, a number of unchurched were quite favorable to any name which had the phrase "Community Church" in it. One person said to me, "I like that name, because that means anyone in the community can attend, and you don't have to be a member of a denomination." Apparently, there are a number of unchurched out there who believe you can't even attend a church unless you are already a part of "the club" or the denomination.
But for those churches that have already been around for a while, the process of shaping your community image will take a bit longer. But the steps for both new and existing churches are the same:
First, (if you can control it) pick a name that will help, not hinder your cause.
A name that will help is easy to pronounce, communicates your values ("family church" "community church"), or connotes positive image ("sunrise church"). Drop the denominational label if you can. You may love your denomination. You can tell the people all about it in your membership class. But they'll never get to your membership class if you turn them off by your denominational title. We are part of the Evangelical Free Church. That's a mouthful. After a recent addition to our church the news ran a piece about it. The newscaster, who is a paid professional, stumbled over our full name "Crossroads Evangelical Free Church". (Guess which word she messed up?!) We changed our name to "Crossroads Church". While we still retain the full name for internal and legal documents, all public documents and advertising are now with the shortened name. Try it. It will help.
Second, improve your building.
Now there is only so much you can do here in the short run. You have what you have. But you can clean it up; fix it up. Even a small church building can be clean and cute. But make plans for the future that match your image goals as a church.
Third, start hosting community groups.
If you want to start developing a positive community image, then open your building up to the community. Host the Red Cross blood drive. Let the boy/girl scouts meet in your building. Let the local school use your building for events. When I was in Wheaton, our church had the largest auditorium in the neighborhood. The local elementary school started using it for their Winter Concert. That was great PR! Make it available to any groups in your community that represent that good and positive image we talked about in part one. Yes, this may take some effort and even money. You will need to get a good host who can welcome these groups to make them feel at home and meet their needs. You will need to clean up after them. But even as you are cleaning up after them, you will be cleaning up your community image.
Fourth, Offer Message Series that match your image goals.
If you want to be known as a family church, then start offering series of interest to the family: marriage, parenting, finances, etc. If you want to be known as a Bible Church, then focus your series on complete books of the Bible, or How to Understand the Bible. If you want to be known as a church that can relate to the problems of the world around you, then do some series on Divorce, Financial Stress, Working Too Hard, etc. Put these series titles on the first page of your website. People will start tuning in to your topics.
Fifth, put your website to good use.
Your main page, the first page people see when they come to your site, should NOT be targeted at your regulars or members. Your first page is for the community. Watch what you put on this page. Don't give in to the desire of every ministry in the church to have a link from that page. The main page of your site is all about making it easy for your guests to come to church this week. Put your message series and big events on that page. Make sure you have links for: "Welcome", "First Time Guests", "Map", "Contact Us", very easy to find and access. Maybe you want to make your sermons easily accessible, so people can get a listen first; or samples of your music. Just this past week my son's gym teacher, told him that his wife had listened to my sermon on money. Neither of them attend our church, but now I know that they listen. Your community is watching and listening, if you are making it easy and anonymous to do so, via your website. Use it to your advantage.
Ok, of these five, some you can start doing right now. Some will take longer. But it takes a while to reshape your image. We will talk about that next time in the final part of this series.
Next, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Until then,
God's best to you,
Dr. Bill
We are continuing on with some thoughts related to your church's image in the community.
We are talking about this because image is important. Jesus had an image in Israel as the one who came to proclaim release to the captives and hope for the widows and orphans. Your church has in an image in town as well. It is what and how people think of you. People will never attend a church which is incompatible with their own image of what they believe is important and good. So your church's image must appeal to that which is highest, truest, and good. Help people to envision who they might be if only they were to include God or Christ in their life.
We've already talked about why it is important, and how to find out your church's image in your community. Now, our concern is How to Shape Your Church's Image in the Community.
This is the slow part. You cannot instantly reshape or reform a church's image, if you have been around for a while. Now, if you are a church plant, you have an (almost) blank slate before you, and there is a lot you can do right at the beginning. But even church plants begin to shape a community image by the name they choose, by the location they choose to meet at, by the type of advertising they do, by some of their early events and message series. When we were launching a new church at one point, I did a phone survey of random strangers in the community we were targeting. I asked them their preference for various church names, giving them a sample of three to choose from. I learned a few things in the process. For example, a number of unchurched were quite favorable to any name which had the phrase "Community Church" in it. One person said to me, "I like that name, because that means anyone in the community can attend, and you don't have to be a member of a denomination." Apparently, there are a number of unchurched out there who believe you can't even attend a church unless you are already a part of "the club" or the denomination.
But for those churches that have already been around for a while, the process of shaping your community image will take a bit longer. But the steps for both new and existing churches are the same:
First, (if you can control it) pick a name that will help, not hinder your cause.
A name that will help is easy to pronounce, communicates your values ("family church" "community church"), or connotes positive image ("sunrise church"). Drop the denominational label if you can. You may love your denomination. You can tell the people all about it in your membership class. But they'll never get to your membership class if you turn them off by your denominational title. We are part of the Evangelical Free Church. That's a mouthful. After a recent addition to our church the news ran a piece about it. The newscaster, who is a paid professional, stumbled over our full name "Crossroads Evangelical Free Church". (Guess which word she messed up?!) We changed our name to "Crossroads Church". While we still retain the full name for internal and legal documents, all public documents and advertising are now with the shortened name. Try it. It will help.
Second, improve your building.
Now there is only so much you can do here in the short run. You have what you have. But you can clean it up; fix it up. Even a small church building can be clean and cute. But make plans for the future that match your image goals as a church.
Third, start hosting community groups.
If you want to start developing a positive community image, then open your building up to the community. Host the Red Cross blood drive. Let the boy/girl scouts meet in your building. Let the local school use your building for events. When I was in Wheaton, our church had the largest auditorium in the neighborhood. The local elementary school started using it for their Winter Concert. That was great PR! Make it available to any groups in your community that represent that good and positive image we talked about in part one. Yes, this may take some effort and even money. You will need to get a good host who can welcome these groups to make them feel at home and meet their needs. You will need to clean up after them. But even as you are cleaning up after them, you will be cleaning up your community image.
Fourth, Offer Message Series that match your image goals.
If you want to be known as a family church, then start offering series of interest to the family: marriage, parenting, finances, etc. If you want to be known as a Bible Church, then focus your series on complete books of the Bible, or How to Understand the Bible. If you want to be known as a church that can relate to the problems of the world around you, then do some series on Divorce, Financial Stress, Working Too Hard, etc. Put these series titles on the first page of your website. People will start tuning in to your topics.
Fifth, put your website to good use.
Your main page, the first page people see when they come to your site, should NOT be targeted at your regulars or members. Your first page is for the community. Watch what you put on this page. Don't give in to the desire of every ministry in the church to have a link from that page. The main page of your site is all about making it easy for your guests to come to church this week. Put your message series and big events on that page. Make sure you have links for: "Welcome", "First Time Guests", "Map", "Contact Us", very easy to find and access. Maybe you want to make your sermons easily accessible, so people can get a listen first; or samples of your music. Just this past week my son's gym teacher, told him that his wife had listened to my sermon on money. Neither of them attend our church, but now I know that they listen. Your community is watching and listening, if you are making it easy and anonymous to do so, via your website. Use it to your advantage.
Ok, of these five, some you can start doing right now. Some will take longer. But it takes a while to reshape your image. We will talk about that next time in the final part of this series.
Next, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Until then,
God's best to you,
Dr. Bill
Labels: advertising, Church Growth, church marketing, evangelism, Image
posted by Dr. Bill at
7:58 AM
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