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Writer's pictureJustin Kim

Embracing Marketing Strategy for Evangelism



In an era where digital platforms dominate communication, integrating marketing strategies into evangelism presents a unique opportunity for spreading the Gospel. This chapter delves into how marketing methods can enhance digital evangelism, exploring their historical roots and drawing parallels between the two.


Understanding Marketing and Evangelism

Marketing, often misconstrued as merely a tool for commercial persuasion, is in reality a strategic communication process aimed at engaging and influencing a specific audience. This extends beyond simple message delivery. It delves into profound insights about consumer behavior, uncovers market needs and crafts compelling narratives. These narratives are then disseminated across media channels to ensure effective reach and impact.

In its typical application within the business world, marketing is instrumental in promoting products or services. This is achieved through a variety of techniques including market research (the systematic gathering and interpretation of data about individuals or organizations using statistical and analytical methods and techniques of the applied social sciences to gain insight or support decision making), segmentation (the process of dividing a market of potential customers into groups, or segments, based on different characteristics), branding (the practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products), and targeted messaging (a form of messaging that is tailored to the interests, needs and preferences of a specific segment of your audience).

Conversely, evangelism, while distinct in its end goal, echoes key elements of marketing. Evangelism is devoted to disseminating the Christian Gospel. This mission transcends simple proclamation. It's about actively embodying and sharing Christian faith and values, offering spiritual guidance and engaging in community outreach. This involves forming personal relationships, exemplifying Christian life principles and utilizing various communication forms to convey Christian teachings. The nuanced application of marketing principles is notable—not for monetary gain, but for the spiritual enrichment and growth of individuals and communities. Evangelism employs strategic communication akin to marketing, but its "product" is the life-changing message of the Gospel, and its "market" is the hearts and minds of people seeking spiritual truth and guidance.


The Intersection of Marketing and Evangelism

The common thread between marketing and evangelism is the core objective: to communicate a message and persuade an audience. Both disciplines require a profound understanding of the audience, crafting of persuasive messages and the intention to elicit a specific response or action. In marketing, this might be to encourage a purchase or promote brand loyalty, while in evangelism it is to foster faith and spiritual commitment.

In the digital realm, these shared principles become pivotal for impactful outreach. Digital evangelism uses marketing tactics tailored to the context of faith—employing audience analysis, digital media strategies and engaging content creation. The goal is to not only reach a wide audience but to also foster deep, meaningful interactions and spiritual exploration online.

Moreover, digital evangelism adapts modern marketing tools such as SEO (search engine optimization) and social media algorithms to effectively disseminate the Gospel. It's about creating digital content that not only draws attention but also inspires curiosity and encourages a journey of faith.

Marketing is often viewed as a secular term, but in the context of the church it aligns closely with evangelism. Both are about reaching hearts and minds with a powerful message, and in the digital age this involves leveraging the best of marketing strategies to fulfill the mission of spreading the Gospel. This alignment of purposes demonstrates how traditional evangelism can be enhanced and expanded through modern digital marketing techniques.


Biblical Examples of Marketing

The Book of Acts provides a historical basis for understanding marketing in evangelism. The apostles journeyed through different regions, engaging directly with people to spread the Gospel. This mirrors today's direct marketing strategies, emphasizing personal connections and tailored messages.

Gary L. Karns' analysis of Acts in his book Marketing Principles in the Book of Acts reveals a marketing mix in the early church's expansion: the Gospel message (product), personal commitment (price), geographic outreach (place) and personal testimony and miracles (promotion). This strategy, similar to current marketing methods, uses diverse elements to effectively reach and influence people.

It's crucial to avoid misinterpreting Scripture by imposing a marketing perspective. Nevertheless, Acts suggests that some marketing fundamentals are valid. Marketing sometimes reflects the world's fallen nature, with materialism and deception, but its core principles are evident in Acts, such as serving others' needs, expecting returns on investments, adapting to different markets and using persuasive communication.

The key difference between church marketing and secular marketing is the church's divine empowerment for fostering "life-changing experiences" and cultivating discipleship. This involvement of God's power in responding to the Gospel of Christ sets church marketing apart from other types. It also notes the difference between people's roles in relation to God and the church versus their consumer roles. Church marketing focuses on an intimate relationship rather than a transactional one.[5]

Jesus' method of spreading His message also reflects fundamental marketing principles. He used parables to communicate complex teachings in an accessible, relatable manner, akin to modern storytelling in marketing. His choice of disciples illustrates a strategic approach to audience segmentation. They came from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds: some were affluent, others lived in poverty; some were educated, while others were not. This diversity ensured His message resonated across various social strata. His consistent call to action, "Follow me," parallels modern marketing's aim to elicit specific responses from audiences.


Utilizing Diverse Media Platforms

In the evolving landscape of digital evangelism, our approach honors a rich tradition of utilizing media to spread the Gospel. This tradition, exemplified by pioneers like Ellen G. White, who was deeply engaged in broadcasting the Gospel through literature, serves as a historical anchor. Her dedication to the written word as a medium for evangelism underscores the enduring power of media in sharing the Christian message.

Building upon this legacy, we now embrace the digital realm, intertwining prayer with modern media strategies. Prayer, as a central theme, resonates profoundly with online audiences. It not only establishes a spiritual connection point but also acts as a catalyst for deeper discussions and engagement. This fusion of prayer and digital strategies forms the unique fabric of our digital evangelism efforts. It's a testament to the adaptability and evolution of evangelistic methods, from literature to the digital platforms of today.

As we navigate through the diverse media landscape, each platform emerges with a distinctive role in our evangelistic narrative.



Newspaper Advertising: Amidst the changing dynamics of media consumption, traditional newspapers maintain relevance, particularly for reaching the over-50 age demographic. They offer local engagement and in-depth storytelling opportunities.

Television: With households dedicating substantial time to television, it presents a vast audience. Television's appeal extends beyond movies, with series reaching expansive audiences through niche channels.

Radio: Radio, particularly during drive times, attracts a diverse audience including faith-based listeners, making it a valuable tool in evangelism.

Outdoor Advertising: The dynamic nature of outdoor advertising, especially through digital and LED displays, offers a compelling method for local outreach, engaging a wide spectrum of people. Recently, Hope Channel International and the North American Division have collaborated to advertise the Gospel on a large billboard in New York City's Times Square.



Internet, Digital and Social Media: At the forefront of modern evangelism is the digital realm. Websites act as hubs, linking resources and social platforms. The extensive reach of online videos and the cost-effectiveness of social media marketing are crucial in spreading the Gospel. This digital domain is continuously evolving, proving indispensable for reaching a broad and diverse audience. The strategic use of these platforms is optimized for digital evangelism, making them effective and cost-efficient.

Understanding and adapting to various communication styles is paramount in our digital evangelism journey. Recognizing whether individuals are thinkers by talking or thinkers by doing enables tailored communication strategies, ensuring our message resonates effectively with different audiences and the wider community.

In this book, we underscore the pivotal role of the internet, digital and social media in the landscape of digital evangelism. The optimization of these platforms for evangelistic purposes, combined with their cost-effective nature, allows us to effectively reach a diverse audience. The integration of prayer as a central theme in our digital content strategy exemplifies how we can leverage these digital tools to not only capture attention but also inspire and nurture a journey of faith. This approach, blending the latest in digital marketing techniques with the timeless power of prayer, encapsulates the essence of modern digital evangelism.



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