Media Outreach

Have you ever seen those Citibank Commercials on identity theft?  If you haven’t, they are hilarious.  If you have, you know you need to take a break and check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy5jiYWuNKo&feature=related

It is hysterical to see this man act like a teenage girl.  But, what is not as funny is the unfortunate truth that many people act like someone they are not.

Maybe you’ve seen people change “who they are” more frequently than they change their socks.  You know the type.  One day, they are an aspiring UFC fighter. The next, they are world’s next great ukulele player.  It depends on who that person is around the most that defines who he’ll turn into next.

But, I think it is time that we get comfortable in our own skin; after all we were created by a perfect God.

Psalm 139

13  For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

Each organization, whether a business, church or nonprofit, has a unique identity.  No two are exactly alike.  Each one has a story.

So how is it that we can so easily get our identity lost?  With a fast-paced culture, it is easy to get caught up with how successful organizations approach their day-to-day practices.

But, we can’t mimic every mega church and take its strategies as our own.  We need to stick to what we are good at.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t strive to be better in all areas of ministry.  The Bible is clear about how God views laziness.  But, churches today can experience exponential growth when they use the gifts, talents and vision as intended.

What is your church or ministry really good at?  Are you strongest with foreign missions?  Or is your youth ministry on fire?

Your church’s vision should be plastered everywhere, for all your members and visitors to see.  How easy is it to find on your website?  Better yet…does the look and feel of your website communicate who you are (and where you are going) without words?

Take five minutes to go to your site and answer these questions.

1. What do the graphics (the look and feel) communicate about our church’s vision?
2. If someone visited our church after visiting our website would they see a similarity between who we really are and who our website portrays us to be?
3. Do the graphics appeal to our target audience?

Allow your outreach, website, advertising and word-of-mouth spread the message of who you are.  And make sure it’s on target.  None of us are mal-intentioned with our efforts to portray ourselves as better than we are, there is simply a fine line between lofty goals and reality.

Be who you are.  God crafted you.  He knitted you. I’m no sewing extraordinaire, but I think that knitting is probably pretty tedious.  He spent time making you different.  And He knows what He’s doing.  Let’s thank Him for making us individuals – and be who we were intended to be.