Advertising is losing its effectiveness. It is associated with slick messages that may not be true. It is focused on selling a product, rather than listening and responding. It is tempting to advertise in the paper or yellow pages; this can be an impersonal impression we give to people.

The church is a community much more than a product. Communities are alive and changing, personal connection places; communities are about supporting each other and working together. Even a fancy Web site shaped like an advertisement makes a community look like a product, reducing its warmth and invitation.

After listening and thinking, we can respond in many ways, both directly to people and through a set of communication tools and processes that reach out. Working groups, Web sites, activities, newsletters, expressions of concern, welcoming, and engaging people become ways of building positive relationships; we reach out to each other and to those around us in intentional ways.

The complete strategic process we use can be found here.