A Prediction About this TV advertising

[Arphaxad]

Originally Posted by OP_Carl

You are poking around very close to the root of the problem: Just as the church in the United States struggles with lukewarmness and hard-heartedness due to our material prosperity, so also do the sinners in the U.S. have material prosperity to drown out their heart's desperate cry for God.

The bible method for spreading the Gospel was word of mouth. Madison avenue recognizes that products can succeed or fail, and businesses can grow or shrivel, due to word of mouth.

When i was in the restaurant business we were told that if someone didn't like things they would tell 10 people, but if they liked things they would only tell 4 people.
many times when people ask where I go to church and i tell them they say stuff like "ooo, I hear you guys are strict" or " I hear you people can't wear makeup, or smoke, or drink beer" once someone told me " I'll never go there, I heard that they made a 14 year old girl cry because she smoked", and it's always " I heard, I heard , i heard blah blah blah" , but I always ask them to come and see for themselves what were about. Anyways I guess that statistic goes for churches too. Sometimes I get positive feedback, but mostly people I hear about the so called "bad " things.


BTW, I am a member of an awesome church and have a wonderful pastor.


ARPH

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Arphaxad

When i was in the restaurant business we were told that if someone didn't like things they would tell 10 people, but if they liked things they would only tell 4 people.
many times when people ask where I go to church and i tell them they say stuff like "ooo, I hear you guys are strict" or " I hear you people can't wear makeup, or smoke, or drink beer" once someone told me " I'll never go there, I heard that they made a 14 year old girl cry because she smoked", and it's always " I heard, I heard , i heard blah blah blah" , but I always ask them to come and see for themselves what were about. Anyways I guess that statistic goes for churches too. Sometimes I get positive feedback, but mostly people I hear about the so called "bad " things.


BTW, I am a member of an awesome church and have a wonderful pastor.


ARPH

To further the analogy, most complaints about restaurants are NOT about the food, but rather about the service and/or cleanliness. Food quality is probably the biggest single issue, but everything else adds up to a greater percentage.

Another interesting observation. A valid complaint that customers have about some restaurants is that the servings are way too big. After all, no one likes throwing out good stuff or likes feeling that they have to overeat whenever they go there. However, it is also the ONE complaint that will never stop someone from actually going back!

[PraiseHymn]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

There will NOT be masses of sinners coming into churches advertsing on television but rather saints from smaller works will be sucked into large churches and the Pastor will be claiming revival in the name of television.

Sounds like the modern day mega church. Everyone is "churched" and most come from smaller churches. No real soul winning has taken place.

[Sister Alvear]

Originally Posted by MikeinAR

Exactly right TR. My AOG church went on TV 15 years ago and nearly every week we receive letters of people accepting Christ. You'll be stunned how many will receive the Apostolic message through TV and be changed forever. Only Heaven will reveal the souls reached for the cause of Christ.

I know there are many against TV here, but they've never read the letters I have of inmates that had no hope until an old-time pentecostal message of truth was preached on a Sunday morning. Or letters from shut-ins that have no access to a place of of worship and receive a touch from God as the annointing touches a singer or preacher. Without a doubt, God will bless it and bring souls in to his kingdom.

Mike in Arkansas...I am from Arkansas and now live in Brazil South America. Glad to see someone from Arkansas posting. Blessings to you.

[Moe]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

I don't know about that bro. Small time pastors do their best to shield their saints from the big church in town. In fact in many cases there is a love hate relationship between the two pastors. The big one believes the small church is dead and that is why they are small, the small guy believes the big guy is only big because everyone loves a parade!!

I always wondered why none of our folks in the small church got to do anything at district functions like singing, playing, departments, etc. Only later did I find out that the pastor was asked several times to submit folks to be involved only for him to decline. I have also heard my share of "The Man" being tired of dead, dried up and boring UPC churches in town...

I think Bro. Epley was dead on...assuming of course folks in the small UPC church have access to a television.

The reason pastor's of smaller church's (not "small time pastor's) are afraid to mix with church's that have a reputation of "stealing" saints. It is not so much because of the large church threat but rather because the District and local officials do NOTHING when it is reported. There is NO recourse. I have seen it happen over and over again to many ministers of EVERY organization.