Is Your Ministry Creating Buzz?

Orginally published on Friday, February 11, 2005 at 9:15 AM
by Todd Rhoades

I am very priveleged to live close enough to Granger Community Church in Granger, IN to witness some of the great things that are going on there.  Tony Morgan is the Pastor of Administrative Services at Granger, and he has a great article in this month’s issue of The Church Report dealing with how to create ‘buzz’ in ministry. Here’s part of what Tony had to say:

"At Granger Community Church, we've confirmed that most people attend our weekend services for the first time because a friend invited them. In the last church survey we completed, we learned that over 74 percent of the people visited one of our services because of an invitation from a friend. That means invitations are important. And that means conversations that precede those invitations are also very important.

How do you help create those conversations? How do you generate buzz? By buzz, I mean all the dialogue that?s created about the good things that are happening in your ministry. It?s the accumulation of all the conversations that people are having in their e-mail exchanges, in the stands at the soccer fields and over their caramel lattes at Starbucks.

As you consider the buzz that is or isn't being generated, it?s important to remember your competition. If you're trying to reach the unchurched, your competition isn't other churches. Instead it is everything that is competing for someone?s time and attention. It?s the Sunday newspaper, a shopping trip, a tee time, the pillow after a night out with friends. What?s going to grab that person?s attention?

According to Michael Phillips and Salli Rasberry in their book "Marketing Without Advertising: Inspire Customers to Rave About Your Business to Create Lasting Success," your competition is spending an estimated $236 billion each year on print, radio, online and broadcasting advertising to help get the word out about their products, services and experiences. They estimate that each of us is exposed to well over 2,500 advertising messages each day.

Fortunately, people have learned to filter out ads and many times will make purchasing decisions based on the advice of their friends-not unlike the way people choose churches. That?s good news if your ministry is a part of that conversation people are having.

What we've learned through the years at Granger is that buzz is created when we take an unchanging Gospel message and present it using new and creative methods. When people attending our services think, "This is new and different," they tell their friends. And then their friends talk, "Did you hear what they're doing over at Granger?" That?s buzz."

How's your ministry buzz?  (I think buzz is a new 'buzz-word' for what I used to call 'momentum'.  If you've ever been a part of a church with momentum or 'buzz', then you know it is exciting.  People are energized.  New people are checking out the church.  And people are being reached with your message.  It's great fun!  Tony finishes with three great insights about creating ministry buzz:

If you're different, some people won't like it. When you're doing the same thing everyone else is doing, no one notices and no one cares. As soon as you become different, the message gets attention. You want attention even if it means some people will criticize your approach.

Different doesn't have to be big. It could just be periodically launching a new teaching series that creatively ties the topic to something that is generating interest in the culture. Every new series, if done well, creates a new opportunity for conversation and buzz.

Being different involves risk. As soon as you try something a bit outrageous, you run the risk that it may not work. We need to take that risk. If we don't, I believe we run the bigger risk that people will continue to view the church as out-of-touch, irrelevant and boring. Don't let that happen. We have the opportunity to offer people unconditional love, forgiveness, hope and purpose. Let?s consider how we can capture people?s attention and offer them the love of Christ. It?s time we create some buzz.

What do you think?  How has your church created buzz?  How has this helped in reaching your community?  I'd love to hear your stories!

Have a great weekend!

Todd

Oh, and you can read ALL of Tony's article here at The Church Report!

This post has been viewed 374 times so far.



 TRACKBACKS: (0) There are 4 Comments:

I'm a chronic workaholic, love to connect leaders with other leaders, and would consider myself somewhat of a 'maven'. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you'll like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step.

MondayMorningInsight.com | PO Box 446 | Bryan, OH 43506 |