godthoughts.net

I’ve been reading the most intriguing book lately:  Shopping for God: How Christianity went from in your heart to in your face, by James Twitchell.  He basically takes a look at church and how churches market themselves, from an “apatheist” angle.

This quote was worth sharing:

“If you go into stores such as Gucci, Prada, Louis Vitton, or Fendi, you see much the same inventory, but the logos (stories attached), are all different and so are the consumer’s responses.  Often the products are the same, made on the same machines, of the same fabrics and textures.  The sensations are very potent and come to us not from the product, but from the marketing. . .I look to see whether the same condition exists in church markets: are the doctrinal/ingredient differences among denomination that generate value for the consumer? Or are the denominations separated more by other factors, like marketing, competitive amenitities, packaging, a better selection of friends?”

Whatcha think?

I know my post from a few days ago was perhaps too intimidating to try and answer, but here it is:

 The construction and operation of buildings generate HALF of all greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States, based on estimated data from The US Energy Information Administration.  Residential buildings (fancy name for your home) account for 21% alone.

Located in an article on Green Housing in Fast Company, July/August 2008 issue, pg 100.

So, the answer was B.

Now you know!

If you ever wonder if you are the target market for a particular television show, then pay attention to the commercials.  The ads will let you know who they think is watching the show, or should be watching the show.  The advertisers are very specific on how they spend their money so they target very precisely on age and stage of life, gender and economic status and more.

So if the show you are watching has a lot of commercials for Viagra, Flex-All, and TD Ameritrade index funds, then the target market would be men (probably over 50 or 55) who need a little help getting up, and around, and who have money to invest. 

Or if there are numerous commercials for Vagasil, and anything with Summer’s Eve, you know the target market they expect to be watching are women with “women’s issues.”

Why do you think certain car brands are only advertised with certain shows?  Oprah draws a women crowd so the commercials are targeted toward women, specific women.

Take a look at your favorite shows this week and see if the commercials are for YOU, or are you not their target?

Enjoy knowing that the advertising community knows you better than you think!

What is the largest producer of greenhouse-gas emissions in the United States?

A - Motor vehicle operations (transportation)

B - Operation and construction of buildings

C- Airplanes

D - Oil refineries

Don’t try and Google it, just make a guess! 

Other than your own, what blog do you check every day? Or, if you use a feed/reader system, what is the blog you absolutely must read each day?   In other words, what is your favorite blog?

Can you hold someone accountable if they have no desire to obey God anyway?

So, does accountability really only matter for those who wish to follow after and obey God?  If a person isn’t going to obey God, does accountability really have any impact?

That’s 3 questions to equal one big question.

In a previous post, I thought out loud regarding whether the current huge use of space, money, staff, time on preaching in worship services is worth.  I thank you for the wonderful discussion your comments brought forth!

Now I ask perhaps an opposing question:

What if preaching/proclamation is, in fact, the best way for people to begin transformation?  And does it matter what type/style of preaching it is?

 For instance, I heard/received preaching prior to going to seminary from a former dean of theology, so his preaching was full of great theology and biblical truth.  But I couldn’t recall to this day any of his sermons, the title, or even the specific subject.  But I do know that the overall content of his preaching saturated my brain and influenced my thinking and learning about God, so the “preached word” he preached over those 4-5 years sunk in, in an overall influential way–much of what I believe is impacted by his preaching from long ago.

Contrast this with 3 sermons I’ve heard/received from Louie Giglio, founder and leader of the Passion Worship Movement.  I first heard him in 1999, again in 2004 and again in 2007.  I can tell you the subject, the theme, the point of each message with great clarity, and tell you how each sermon’s point influenced my thinking of God.  I can do the same with many of the sermons of TD Jakes, which I have heard.  Giglio and Jakes tend to preach expository sermons, which seem to resonate more in my memory, it appears.

My home church pastor did not preach expository sermons, but rather what I like to call “teaching sermons, or teaching preaching.”

Both were and are influential in my life and thinking of God.  Both styles impacted my spiritual growth toward God.  Both styles required a great deal of energy and money and staffing and space in order for me to get to hear them.

So, I guess my question is this:  Can such great, impactful, influential preaching be delivered in a more cost-effective way?  Given the downward slant of the economy and the fact that giving in churches is way down and it takes money to build those big sanctuaries and all the hoopla that great preachers tend to have before the message, is there a better way? 

If the great preaching could be delivered cost-effectively, then the all the money previously going toward the “show/performance,” etc could be spent in helping those in need and giving life.

Preaching would still be magnified and powerful, and the resources of the church would be better focused.

Possible?  Probable?