marketing

Last week I ran across this article, an interview with Tim Keller, in Christianity Today. This week in my blog I decided to look at the questions he was asked, pull a quote from his answers, and share some thoughts.

Q: You reject marketing apologetics like, "Christianity is better than the alternatives, so choose Christianity." Why?

A: Marketing is about felt needs. You find the need and then you say Christianity will meet that need. You have to adapt to people's questions. And if people are asking a question, you want to show how Jesus is the answer.

What strikes me as odd about this, is that Keller really is working with a, "Christianity is better than the alternatives" apologetic here, it's just being done from a position of service rather than one of authority.

After all, what he's arguing is coming alongside somebody who is feeling the effects of the law in their life, and offering them a Gospel solution to that felt-law experience. However, in addressing that need with the Gospel, he's also saying, "What you're doing, the alternatives, don't meet that need like the Gospel does." In other words, there's the other stuff, and then there's the Gospel.

I've come to the conclusion that self-promotion sucks.

For a month now, I've had the opportunity to sell copies of the elemental life at Christ Lutheran in Denver, and I haven't brought it up, even after I had 300 copies of the book sitting in my living room.

But that's not the only example. I set up this author page on Facebook, and haven't invited anyone except Anita and a friend who asked to join it. Then you have upcoming book signings both at Vineyard of Faith and Peace with Christ. I'm dreading the whole deal, and this is selling books to people who love me and want to support me, and I do it knowing that, until I sell those 300 books and then some, I'm not making anything off of this deal. There's also the mass e-mail updates which, when I look back on them, always sound like I think I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. I hate this crap.

Why? Because I hate self-promotion, I'm just completely uncomfortable with the whole thing. Let's talk about ministry, let's talk about my family, let's talk about co-workers, or best yet, let's talk about Jesus, but whatever we do, let's not talk about me. I'm okay with the spotlight, it's just when I feel like I'm diving into it or putting it on myself that it sucks.

I love being a pastor. I love writing. I love the stuff I'm doing. But seriously, there are moments I just want to be a bartender in some dingy, rarely visited, back alley bar. Of course, what's worst, all of this loathing about self-promotion, is in fact, self-promotion. Grrr.