Does The Apostolic Message Need Re-Packaging????
 

I was listening to Kenneth Phillips preach at the AWCF Conference, and he mentioned that it was time to re-package the Apostolic message.

I know that manufacturers of products upgrade their product packaging to reflect the current tastes and customs. For instance, Betty Crocker was changed from the 40's and 50's look into a more modern looking women.

As new ways to package items are invented, successful companies will try to upgrade their packaging. Colas and Ketchup used to always be packaged in glass bottles, but now they mostly use plastic packaging.

Is it time to re-package the Apostolic message?

Yep.

Doesn't mean the message will change - just like colas, ketchup and Betty Crocker products - - the product stays the same, but the packaging changes.

Coke tried to change the product and it didn't make it - failed miserably.

The packaging is everything. Just ask advertising companies,a nd consumers. The Apostolic message should remain forever the same, but the packaging is not conducive to our culture nor our times.

I agree! Unfortunately, the ones calling for a packaging change are seen as rebels instead of prophets!

It's hard to change the paradigm - especially if you are afraid of losing profit shares.

LOL!! You just wait until the "gimme that old time religion that was good enough for Grampa and its good enough for me..." crowd gets here!

I agree that it needs to be repackaged, but not only that, the delivery system is still in the vacuum tube era. What is even more funny is that there are old timers out there preaching how that we have taken PA systems too far by adding two and three hand held microphones!

:killinme

The ones standing in their long robes looking down their long noses over the desk at those below and pointing fingers at those rebels are worried because to them change is equivalent to compromise.

The song says, ONWARD Christian Soldiers, not Stand FIRM in tradition Christian Soldiers. :D

Any specifics? How do you repkg a belief system? Newer buildings? Maybe an emphasis on displaying the fruits of the Spirit could be considered repackaging. Interesting.

How about a time of corporate and severe fasting and prayer to determine what traditions have been moved into the realm of the sovereign and salvational.

To me, re-packaging means finding ways to make the Apostolic message more attractive to the newer generations. This could relate to music, audio-visual, and the use of new technology to promote the message.

That's asking a lot, Chewy! :D

Yeah dress it in blue and white and plant a Magen David right in the center.
Blowing a shofar and calling the Holy Ghost the SHEkinah.

Apostolic Church is doing a great job. Pastor Kenneth Phillips may need to repackage what he's doing? Maybe he will get fitted for a kipa.

Was she made to wear spike heels and goth make-up?

Plastic Pentecost? Sorry all ready been done. Just look at Benny Hinn, Joel Olsteen, Paula White and who is her husband?


Ah.....NO!

In Jesus name

Brother Benincasa

www.OnTimeJournal.com

Lets see, the initial package included...............

• healing the sick of diverse diseases
• casting out devils and freeing folks from their bondages
• performing miracles, signs, and wonders
• preaching brought conviction to the sinner

I am not sure that I see much of the above in the church anymore, so maybe we need to just get back to the original package. Coke lost millions when they tried their "New Coke" deal. The original worked, and still works. To many have just substituted the original for another package (program).


But what do I know, I am just one of the "gimme that old time religion that was good enough for Grampa and its good enough for me..." crowd.

Change is ALWAYS resisted at first. I know some folks that will not drink a soda unless it is in a glass bottle. The reason....they have always drank out of a glass bottle and like it that way!

KP has always been a prophetic visionary. He heart beats for more souls to recieve the Apostolic message. Those with a vision for future church evangelism tend to agree with him!

What you are talking about is the product itself. We don't need to change the product. We need to change the packaging of the product! :)

People don't buy the Product for the package, but for what is within it. If the product, which is the life of Jesus Christ, does not draw them, then the package that does will only allow for a superficial relationship, and as soon as a "better package" comes along, it will be "Sweet Sweet Sweetie Goodbye".

Why? Make it more attractive, are you kidding? What could be more attractive than eternal bliss in Heaven? Especially considering the alternative! If you guys really believe what you say, why not just lay it out for folks, and let them decide between Heaven and Hell? Let the Holy Spirit convict them (or not), and they will see the Real Truth (or not), won't they?

What does the "attractiveness" have to do with anything?

You are correct...sort of! :)

You can have the best product, but if the packaging is not attractive, you won't find new comsumers like you would if it had good packaging!

Packaging is all about expanding the consumer base! Current customers already know the product is good!

Attractive packaging gets the attention of potential consumers. If you're happy with the current level of evangelizism, don't change anything. If you want to expand and grow, make changes that will attact new people.

PM,

If the product itself is not enough, then we are in big trouble.

The problem as I see it is that there are too many false advertisers out there. Show me any church that resonates with the glory and power of God, and I will show you a church that is growing on a normal basis.

It is not OUR package that is supposed to draw them, but HIS Spirit, anyway.

Here is where I think KP is coming from:

Currently, we are not reaching the world with the Apostolic message. In fact, every day we're getting further and further behind as more people are being born than are being saved.

We need to package the Apostolic message using new technology that will allow us to reach the entire world. That current technology is TV and the internet!

It is also true that in some cases the re packaging was so drastic the "current customers" couldn't recognise it. I think I am leaning toward leaving it alone.

We may simply be forced to face the fact that this generation is going to be harder to reach. They have short attention spans, they have a self-absorption that has been cultivated in them their entire lifespan, they are often on psychotropic drugs that alter their perceptions and diminish their ability to tune in to the spirit world.

A larger percentage than ever before were raised by single mothers, and without any religious experience whatsover. They won't have a "culturally common" respect for the generic practice of Christianity. They won't respond favorably to male authority or a command and control structure. They will question everything, and will often be incapable of understanding the answers - whatever fraction of said answers they have sufficient attention span to hear fully - because logic, reason, and critical thinking have been replaced with emotion and herd psychology.

So, as you gear up for the new millenium, ask yourself if you've got a package for all that.

He has not changed "New Apostolic Church" then for 25 yrs.

Does anyone know what kind of attendance he has?

CC! said the church could seat 2400, and yet in 25 years, I would think that this would have changed to 250000 or more if it were TV alone.

The Early Church started in a city that on the Day of Pentecost was said to have between 50000 and 60000. 3000 on the first day is a good average.

I have to agree with Matt here that the problem is not the packaging, it is the product is stale from being underused and laying dormant.

I don't think attendance is neccessarily the barometer of successful evangelism. It is a major indicator, but many may be being reached with the message in nursing homes, prisons, or other cities, states and countries!

The technology is there to reach these people that we otherwise could never reach, so why don't we use it?

Someone of the new generation will adapt the Apostolic message to reach them! God has and will always have a people!

Maybe if we relied less on enticing words of mans wisdom and more on the demonstration and power we wouldn't have to worry about the "package", the product would sell itself.

What was Jesus' packaging? Did he dress in the world's finest?
Did He go for plastic surgery to enhance His appearance? Did he make sure He had the best lighting and music? Did he perform with grand theatrics? Did He have a great PR team and front men? What about advertising? What about the Church in the Book of Acts, did they have an awesome program with the finest scripted preaching and teaching?

All the best, brightest, most beautiful packaging can not substitute for the power of the Holy Ghost. If anything all generations are looking for something real, something of substance. They've seen all the hype and glitz and know what it is to have a product that doesn't match the flashy package.

What we need is the genuine love of Jesus living and breathing in our everyday life. A love that shows enough concern that we actually pray for the sick and are committed to helping those that are less fortunate then us.
Perhaps an emphasis on producing the fruit of the Spirit and acting with the gifts of the Spirit.

I would be interested in knowing what the statistics are on those accually having TV and Internet in 3rd world countries. Can we really reach the entire world with technology??

Understand, I am not against it per say. I just think it will just be another bandaide for the real problem.

Good post!!!

If Jesus and the apostles were alive today, do you believe they would insist on maintaining the customs of 2000 years ago - with robes and sandals?

Jesus IS the package - show Him in your life and He's lifted up.

He said if I be lifted up, I'll draw all men to Me.

I'm saying....Lift Him up and not self and love one another, then you have a big part of the "package"...If you're talking about how the gospel is "delivered"...

Have you ever seen those in the third world waiting to receive food from the UN or some other agency? They don't care what it comes in, they just want something edible that will give life and nourish them for a few more days.

I had a man in a prison service last Thursday night tell me the felt something he'd never felt before and he wanted more of it. We baptized a young man a couple of weeks ago that received the Holy Ghost in the tank, and he told us that he'd never experienced anything like it. I can guarantee that the service packaging was not anything fancy or modern :nod. But it was full of the Love of Jesus and that is what make the difference.

No. But I doubt they'd be wearing Hickey Freeman suits and custom made shoes. I doubt they have to have a Rolex and and diamond studded tie pin.

I agree with you about the bandaid! If the church was having revival like in the New Testement, Fox News, CNN, BBC, Aljazerra and all the rest would be reporting about it!

It inevitable that eventually all the world will have TV and internet! Do we wait until that happens, or do we start NOW using all means to reach them?

PM, are you equating means with packaging?

I think means is PART of the packaging. Packaging is required for a TV program.

So you mean a change in presentation so it fits on TV as the change of packaging that is needed?

Maybe we should skip TV and go the WWW webcast route so we can do what we want with out having to script to a certain time period.

Or push technology, where as you drive by in the car, it grabs your radio dial, changes it and broadcasts the service? Or plays using your Bluetooth phone....

(Actually Google is experimenting with this in California for business advertising- No churches signed up that I have heard of)

Just preach the Gospel. It's always relevant. There's a lot of overkill in regard to this "relevance" business anyhow I think.

Don't you think? :)

No.

In my opinion, we have reached the present anemic position in the Apostolic church because we have tried to repackage the message. WE have made it possible for sin and sinners to be comfortable in our services in an effort to be Saddleback sinner friendly. We have lost the power of conviction because we are being Spiritually Correct and don't want to risk making our guests uncomfortable.

Jesus said that it was the hungry and thirsty that are going to be filled... not those attracted only by the packaging. A hungry or thirsty man could care less what the package looks like!

I will agree with the apostle and say I have nothing to preach save Jesus and him crucified. I am not sure how you make a bitter cup, a bloodied back, a crown of thorns, a reed of ridicule, a rugged cross and three nails attractive. Can you give me some pointers please?