Is Marketing a Necessary "Evil"?

We’ve all seen the dark side of marketing. Targeted ads that seem to be listening in on your every conversation. Endless email streams you never subscribed to. Heavy-handed direct mail pieces that bypass any sort of human connection to ask for your money.

From secular, for-profit companies, these tactics drive us nuts. But from ministries and churches? They’re annoying at the very least and off-putting at the worst.

Marketing’s Bad Rap in the Ministry World

Many ministry leaders shy away from prioritizing and leveraging a defined digital marketing strategy for good reason. They want to leave room for God to do the work, trusting Him to bring organic, Spirit-initiated growth. They don’t want to compromise their mission by utilizing “creepy marketing techniques” to build and sustain a brand.

And because it’s difficult to do well and there are other worthy places to invest time and resources, marketing can quickly be pushed to a back burner.

But in today’s world, the average person is regularly turning to digital spaces to ask big questions, connect with others, and have their opinions shaped by society’s most influential voices. With the internet being our age’s “Roman Road,” can we afford to minimize digital marketing’s potential?

Embarking On the New Roman Road

It may be hard to believe, but digital marketing can be deeply personal from the beginning. It can be a tool that effectively captures and communicates the essence of your church or ministry, connecting you to the very people you’re trying to reach.

Holistic, data-driven marketing can equip your ministry to do what it does best. If your “why” is to glorify God, marketing can be both necessary and far from evil.

God has always used past technological developments to refine the Church and draw lost sheep to Himself…just look at the printing press! He can use your digital presence in unexpected ways to meet people where they are, paving the way to real, offline heart change. But how do we get there?

Marketing Like We Disciple

Marketing for ministries, if done well, is a journey.

Jesus first captured the attention of his disciples, clearly calling them to action. He walked with them, leading them to various places, communicating a wide range of lessons, and intentionally unfolding the truth of His true identity.

The disciples grew in captivation, beholding the nature of their teacher. Their devotion grew through this journey, leading them to bring the Gospel forth even after Christ’s death and resurrection.

This is what your marketing strategy can mirror. Going to those you want to invite on a journey. Showing them what your ministry is about, giving them opportunities to learn, and inviting them to play a larger role in the work God is doing. Honor your audience by committing to the journey with them.

Working Smarter and Harder

This kind of ministry marketing is not easy. It takes time and intentionality to know your audience and produce quality content they will actually want to engage with. It takes resources to track metrics, and it certainly takes humility to listen to what the data is saying.

But when you bring in the right people and invest the time and resources, people start to show up. Donations are made. Lives are transformed. Your audience, once elusive, is all the sudden present and captivated.

Good marketing done to the glory of God requires you to work both smarter and harder, but it is profoundly worth it.

Marketing With the End in Mind

Where will an effective marketing strategy take you?

It will grow your audience, broadening your reach on the frontlines of ministry. It will connect you to the right people—people with unique giftings who share your passions and burdens and want to play a larger role.

But at the end of the day, marketing remains a means to God’s glorious end. In the end, God wins. When we market in light of Revelation, we can trust Him with our best-laid plans. And we can continue to resist the dark side of marketing.