03.04. IV. Advertising The Services Of The Church
IV ADVERTISING THE SERVICES OF THE CHURCH
FEW subjects receive greater attention today than the subject of advertising. We are accustomed, however, to employ the phrase almost entirely with reference to business interests. It is only of late that men have realized that advertising for Christ and the Church is of vastly more importance than the successful sale of the best of earthly wares. A careful study of the New Testament, however, will show that in the disciples’ day advertising Christ was regarded as the very mission of the Church. In fact, the last promise that Jesus made before ascending into the heavens looked definitely to the advertising of the Christ: “Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Advertising the services, if it means anything at all, should mean advertising Christ Himself. There are, therefore, some things that I wish to set in order on this subject. HAVE SOMETHING TO ADVERTISE The preparation of a service should justify all that is said of it.—In other words, if you are going to blaze abroad a service and invite people to the same, you should put into the service itself every attraction named. Extravagance here will, as usual, produce final poverty. Failure to live up to what has been announced will send your audience away disappointed and dissatisfied, and your next invitation is not likely to be regarded.
I was brought up on a farm and I learned that when you call hogs you must provide them corn, swill or some adequate meal. If you don’t, they will shortly cease to come. Men are equally bright, and you can’t fool them too often. The performance should redeem all promises.—If you have a choir of ten voices do not claim twenty; and if you have a house that seats two hundred, do not advertise four hundred. On a recent Sunday I heard a mistake, inadvertently made, that corresponded in a measure with what many preachers constantly and deliberately do. I had failed to write out what the Radio announcer should have said about the Sunday Night services of the First Baptist Church, and so I gave him, by word of mouth, this statement: “There will be eight hundred balcony seats reserved for students.” Imagine, therefore, my surprise, after having quit the room where I had been addressing my radio audience, to hear thundering after me as I left the building, “8000 balcony seats will be reserved for students in the First Baptist Church tonight.” If all the other sins of preachers were pardoned, the one of exaggeration may yet balk some of them at Heaven’s gate.
I have counted the seats in most of the prominent churches of America and almost without exception, the pastors, in advertising, boast on an average just about one-third more seatings than the sanctuary ever had. In this the Scriptures are illustrated “all men are liars”; and the old adage is still worthy of attention— “Honesty is the best policy.” The profit of the people should equal their response. —If they come in great numbers there should be given them great return; and if at first they come in small numbers what they get will determine in a large measure their rate of increase.
There are gaudy and worldly shows of one sort or another that can be pulled off in the house of God and for a time attract marvelously; but such audiences of Athenians will leave you the very day that another and still more worldly program is put on by the church across the way.
I have been in this pastorate for thirty-nine years. I have seen audiences come and I have seen them go. I have seen churches grow suddenly popular and for a time attract crowds, but the two churches, in this city, that have maintained a steady influence with the people, and whose audiences have averaged higher, the year around through the entire time than any other two in the entire Northwest, have been the two where honest work was done for and in the pulpit, where the Gospel was presented in its simplicity, and where the spiritual interest of the people were both sought and conserved. We repeat, therefore, have something to advertise.
ADVERTISING SHOULD Be SANE AND SNAPPY An advertisement should arrest attention.—Some years ago the Nash people offered a prize for that agent of the Company, who should suggest in a word or phrase the most arresting thought. A personal friend of mine secured that prize. His suggestion was “Another Nash.” You have seen that all over America—“Another Nash!”
There is, at this moment, a good sign on the west end of our Jackson Hall. The arresting phrase is “Night School.” Here brevity is the soul of wit! A word, a short sentence that will strike the eye and hold attention to itself, until the thing advertised is comprehended, is the objective in advertising. An advertisement should carry information.—That is the real purpose of all advertising; to tell people what you are keen to have them know. The weakness of too much church advertising is at this point. The hour of service is stated; the subject is announced, but oftentimes no information is contained in the announcement.
People cannot tell, or even imagine, from the subject the trend of the sermon. It is often worth while to follow with a series of questions that would be answered, or with simple statements as to the direction the discourse would take.
There is some thoughtless church attendance, but the majority of people would like to go where they can get definite information on subjects of deep soul-concern.
While advertising should be well done, it should not be overdone.—I saw sometime since a most sensational dodger destined to be freely distributed. It started:
Introducing Mr. _____
“Mr. _____ is a man of unusual brain power and spiritual illumination. He combines in a rare degree the exactness of the scientist, the idealism of the philosopher, the vision of the seer and the truth of the Bible student.
“The lectures are considered among the greatest productions of the age in which we live. A volume could be filled with commendatory letters from ministers, educators and people in all walks of life.”
Others have said:—
“Simply great—no other word to use.”
“Most dramatic speaker in America.”
“A cultured orator.”
“A great spiritual teacher.”
“One of America’s greatest thinkers.”
“Logical, practical, dynamic.”
“He speaks as one having authority.”
“You can never forget him.”
“A fearless crusader.”
“Always draws big crowds.”
“He is a Kansas Cyclone.”
“Young people are charmed with him.”
“His lectures are worth $5,000.00 to me.”
“Humor, tragedy, drama, science, Bible, Christ, philosophy and psychology—all in one.” A Western editor, after reading this handbill, said: “It is modeled after the show bills originated by P. T. Barnum.” The local pastor who talked of himself after this manner or permitted himself to be so lauded would shortly be the laughing stock of the town.
Finally, think with me on some SUCCESSFUL METHODS
Meetings should be a medium of advertising.—To this end, multiply them. There is an impression with some people that the fewer meetings you have the more popular they are. Exactly the opposite is true. No store could run by selling on one day a week; no theater could live if it were open only every other night. The more meetings held, if they are the right sort, the more mediums of advertising all. The success of one becomes the popular channel for announcing another.
If I were the pastor of a country church I would do what has been done in this metropolitan organization; I would multiply meetings. The power of the old-fashioned “spelling bee” to bring the people together has been neglected, not exhausted. The popularity of a Community Sing is just now at its height, and should therefore be utilized by country churches. The organizing of the young people in the community who can play musical instruments into an orchestra would both interest them and bring their talents to the service of the King, as would the putting on of meetings in school-houses and pastorless churches near at hand. The direction of the Boy Scout Movement might easily be employed to the profit of the Sunday School and Church; and of course, it goes without saying that prayer meetings, Bible study, and Mission gatherings are under God’s favor. A country church should be the center of the community’s social life. It used to be. Now the Public School is rapidly stealing the same away, and the result is anti-Christian practices in harmony with the anti-Christian philosophy of the school itself. Without openly antagonizing, the country preacher who sets himself intelligently to the task of keeping Christ before the community, and calling the community to Christ, will find his work the center of ever increasing interest. The local newspaper also is an excellent medium.— Here we confess to fault. We have never taken the pains to cultivate newspaper men or the time to set before them our plans and programs. They are as amenable to the minister’s friendship as any other professional class, and they are in a position to serve the interests of the cause of Christ above almost all others.
Give them interesting material. Get it to them on time; and express your appreciation after they have published the same. You will find you are being served gratis to an extent that would cost others big money. If some moral or religious principle is involved and the newspaper opposes and criticizes you, do not grieve. Dead men never raise a row. A man who is in a fight at least has the assurance that he is alive, and other men arc taking note of him.
Thirty-five years ago I went one day to Mr. W. L. Harris, President and owner of the New England Furniture Company, and poured out to him my complaint of unfair and unjust newspaper criticism. He looked at me complacently and said, “You do not know when you are well off. I had to pay out $500.00 in cash this morning to have the same amount said about my business as is being said about your administration in the church. It is worth more than that amount in publicity.”
Finally, Your membership is your greatest agency of advertising.
Lyman Beecher was enjoying a very successful pastorate in Boston and somebody asked him how it happened that his comparatively small congregation was arousing the city in such a signal way? He answered, “I preach to four hundred and fifty of them on Sunday; and four hundred and fifty of them re-preach my sermon for seven days in the week.” The pastor who can enthuse his people with his own spirit will, through them, reach and profit the public.
One of the greatest agents that Christ ever discovered in His matchless ministry was when “‘there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou unit, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man; but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.” (Mark 1:40-45) This man’s blessing was so big that silence for him was impossible! Saved men are the best mediums of advertising Christianity!
OUTLINE OF CHAPTER FOUR ADVERTISING THE SERVICES OF THE CHURCH (Text—Acts 1:8) Introductory word on—“The Value of Advertising.”
I. HAVE SOMETHING TO ADVERTISE a.The preparation for a service should justify the advertisement. b.The performance should redeem all promises. c.The profit of the people should equal their response.
II. ADVERTISING SHOULD BE SANE AND SNAPPY a.An advertisement should arrest attention. b.An advertisement should carry information. c.Advertising should not be overdone.
III. SUCCESSFUL METHODS a.Meeting should be a medium of advertising. b.The local newspaper is an excellent medium. c.Your membership is your greatest agency.