I am a terrible salesperson. When I believe in an organization, I readily
participate in it and support it, share its value with others, and ask them to
support it as well, but I am not naturally inclined to push people to buy or invest
in something. An entrepreneur must be
able to do this—not only to envision and create but to market or “sell” as
well. As I have written in other blogs, I
have a great respect for entrepreneurs and I believe that the future belongs to
those organizations and individuals who can create and provide quality services
and resources for the churches. Those
who provide such services and resources will (and to some extent already have)
replace traditional denominational structures.
Even so, I often find myself concerned
about the commercialization of ministry.
When I walk through an exhibit hall at a religious gathering and hear
comments like “But this is where our product is better” or “You don’t want to deal
with that company because . . . ,” I react negatively. These are the marks of a competitive spirit
borne out of crass commercialization.
This is the same kind of rhetoric we hear applied to automobiles, tennis
shoes, cell phone service, and insurance policies.
Is such competition becoming to those who
are representing their work as a ministry intended to further the Kingdom of
God? Undoubtedly, it is natural for entrepreneurship
to lead to competition. If we believe in
our product or service, we want to convince others to take advantage of it. This religious marketplace is unfamiliar
territory for both service providers and purchasers and the secular marketplace
offers little guidance on how to proceed.
In
this competitive environment, how does a church go about choosing the
organizations with which they will partner or which group’s resources or
services they will purchase? Here are some
suggestions.
First, what is the vendor’s theological perspective? Are you comfortable with their stance? Do they clearly articulate their
understanding of God’s work in the world, the nature of humankind’s
relationship to God, and the role of individual believers in ministry? For example, many of us will be concerned not
only about a group’s attitude toward the role of women in ministry and the
church but the language they use in their materials. Are they gender inclusive in word and deed?
Second, what are the core values of the
vendor? Is there clarity about their
reasons for existence? Do these reasons
extend beyond the motivation to make a profit?
Certainly, those who provide a service or resource should be properly
compensated, but does the organization exist just to provide jobs for its
employees or to serve some worthy ministry objective?
Third, what are the value-added aspects that the organization brings to table? This includes things like quality presentations and materials, clear experience and expertise in the field, a proven track record, and exemplary customer service. With so many vendors offering similar services, customers (including churches) have a choice and the “little things” mean a lot.
Third, what are the value-added aspects that the organization brings to table? This includes things like quality presentations and materials, clear experience and expertise in the field, a proven track record, and exemplary customer service. With so many vendors offering similar services, customers (including churches) have a choice and the “little things” mean a lot.
New paradigms bring both new
possibilities and new dangers. As
churches make decisions about those with whom they will partner or from whom
they will buy services or resources, they will have to walk a minefield that is
often covered by the fog of “hype,” taking careful and thoughtful steps.
Comments