Church Trust Agents
Why do people hesitate, procrastinate, and placate when you invite them to church?
4 Reasons People Are Adverse to Church
- They have been burned by religion
- They have had a bad experience with a church or church leadership
- They have had a bad encounter with a Christian
- They have seen hypocrisy in action
The Trust Breach
The results of these actions (and many more like them) are a breach in trust. When trust is broken in a relationship it is very difficult to repair. When you look at the corporate world, if a company does something so grievous that they damage the trust relationship with their customers it can mean the end of the company’s existence or they have to spend massive amounts of money on damage control , rebuilding that trust, and the public’s perception of them.
Church Marketing is Relational
So, can a church use marketing to win their way back into a trust relationship with people? Well, if we look at it from the standpoint of how most people see marketing…as advertising – then no. No, a church can not buy, message, or coerce people back into their buildings. That is why effective church marketing out of necessity needs to be relational.
Trust Agents
Because people don’t trust “the church” or religion they have all sorts of barriers and walls up against your church and any given church. How then do churches grow? Growing churches leverage the relationship circle of people in their church. Your church members already have a great circle of influence. They know people who trust their recommendations and trust their invitations. So, ignite the passion of your people for God, for their friends, for their family, and for your church community. Equip them for representation and have them be your church’s trust agents. Have them speak and dleiver the message on your behalf. Many would call this evangelism…and it is. It is also great church marketing!
What do you think…are evangelism and church marketing the same? Are church people trust agents?
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