My wife and I enjoy reading church signs. One of our favorite road-trip memories is belly-laughing while trying not to wake the sleeping babies behind us. We had just seen a church sign that read, “God only answers knee-mail.” Who thinks of these quips? While they are full of truth and sometimes eye-catching to Christians, how are they perceived by the non-churched in our communities? For instance, does a sign reading, “Don’t be God’s weakest link” scream, “Come inside and worship with us!”? Or how about, “Always remember that Hell is uncool,” “Call 911: This church is on fire” or “Come early for a good seat in the back”? (Please send me any others that you have seen.) Although there were likely good intentions behind the signs, the intended audience or the message presented were probably never considered.

Marketing as a form of outreach has continued to grow as churches look for new and creative ways to get the message of Christ into the world. More and more churches are using creativity in their weekly messages, Web sites and overall approach to ministry in the 21st century. However, to avoid missed opportunities and making common mistakes in marketing, let’s look at some things to consider as your church develops a plan to reach out to your community. ...