Using the Internet for Marketing: Pros vs. Cons
Raymond W. Brawner
Trevecca Nazarene University
Using the Internet for Marketing: Pros vs. Cons
I What the Bible says about it
A. There are many places in the Bible where the good news is spread in public places and people responded
1.Acts 17:21-34
A. Christ commanded the disciples to share the Gospel
1. Matthew 28:19-20
II. More and more young people are turning to the internet to get information
A. Proves to be efficient and reliable
B. No Restrictions
C. Both age groups (young and old) share same concerns and viewpoints
III. Perception of internet usage in the church
A. Churches will not reach people on the internet
B. Expensive
C. Devils playground
D. Degrades God
IV. Conclusion
A. Many valid points against internet marketing
B. More Valid points and proven research for church marketing.
Using the Internet for Marketing; Pros vs. Cons
I remember many times sitting at home as a child and hearing the phone ring. The person on the other end of the line was someone from our church calling with a prayer chain request. I can remember when the only tools a church had to display a message was a church sign, a monthly newsletter, or a church bulletin. With the growing interest in the internet it has become a lot more effective to put the message of your church out there for all of the world to see. There are many opinions out there for and against this new way of spreading the mission of your church as well as many other things you want to share about your church.
The first question I had about the subject was “What does the Bible say about it?”. I found in the chosen article that “The Holy Bible New Testament is replete with examples of the disciples sharing the good news where people spend their time”. (Bolu, 2012) The Bible is very clear about spreading the good news. (Bible, Acts 17:21-34) The internet and especially especially social media is where people spend a lot of their time and I feel God’s word is in full support of that. I think that modest ways of promoting your church are completely appropriate and in line with the Bible.
One thing that makes the internet a great place to spread the word of God through your church is because of the growing demand of young people using the internet “to find personal, social, and religious information” (Bolu, 2012) With the intriguing growth of smart phone usage and using apps such as “google” and “wiki” and social media networks such as “Facebook” and “Instagram” one can find a lot of information at the tips of their fingers very quickly. Sometimes this information is very helpful and accurate but other times it is misleading and incorrect, which leads to negative perceptions from many people in the church.
Many people in the church get the idea that “church marketing via internet is evil. It degrades God. It is not biblical. It is only for businesses”. (Bolu, 2012) There are “myths that the church is living with that are militating against the deployment of the worldwide web”. (Bolu, 2012) Many people think that it is expensive and not missionary. Most church leaders disagree with these myths but there are some who believe them.
With everything the worldwide web has to offer, whether it is reliable or not, I have come to the conclusion that it is a great tool for marketing your church, all of the events your church has coming up, and many other things a church would like to share with the general public. I believe the pros significantly outweigh the cons for internet marketing and I suggest to churches to take advantage of this great, inexpensive, worldwide accessible tool that is greatly impacting people of all ages.
Bolu C. A. (2012), The church in the contemporary world: Information and communication technology in church communication for growth: A case study. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, volume 4, 80
Bolu C. A. (2012), The church in the contemporary world: Information and communication technology in church communication for growth: A case study. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, volume 4, 80
Bolu C. A. (2012), The church in the contemporary world: Information and communication technology in church communication for growth: A case study. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, volume 4, 80
Bolu C. A. (2012), The church in the contemporary world: Information and communication technology in church communication for growth: A case study. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, volume 4, 84
Bolu C. A. (2012), The church in the contemporary world: Information and communication technology in church communication for growth: A case study. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, volume 4, 84