Selling the Faith
I had the pleasure of being involved in a course called Faith Pictures and the 1st session was all about opening the conversation, and started with a video about a conversation 2 ladies were having on a bus.
Its our grandson’s Christening on Sunday to which the other commented, Oh I forgot that you went to Church, why are you a Christian – why do you go to Church, and she said You can’t ask me that you should speak to the vicar.
But I do find the services very peaceful and I like that. To which she responded Peaceful – I can tell you all about peaceful, you should comer to my Pilates class it is the peaceful point of my whole week.
To which the other invited herself to the Pilates class. What an opportunity missed by NOT suggesting even in return that she could come to Church next Sunday perhaps to the Christening.
Why don’t we talk about our faith? Do we find it embarrassing or worse are we almost ashamed to be a Christian?
But really this is an example of an opportunity missed and just like me we have all missed such opportunities in the past.
But hopefully we will not do so in the future!!
We are not very good at selling ourselves as a worshiping community, in fact we are diabolical.
In the same way we are not very good at telling the world, those around us that we go to Church that we have a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ - that we are Christians. We are diabolical.
And yet we have the most wonderful experience, a life giving experience to share but we are afraid to do so.
In effect to use a secular term our individual marketing strategy is non existent.
So how does the secular world promote itself? What are the key aspects that they use, that we can use to share the Good News of Jesus?
So where do we start, how can we in our own way be better at sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, news which the world, our society would benefit from and make life more meaningful and worthwhile.
We have a lot to learn from our present day secular society in its role of marketing something which we believe to be beneficial to everyone.
So how does the secular world market a product – they use what are called a Unique Selling Point or Proposition – a USP.
So what do we have as a USP? – I put this to a group recently as I’ve had this idea on my mind for some time and the answer was instantaneous – JESUS.
However true that is we would have to break this down into smaller components for our secular friends and associates.
Way back in the past when I was in school in our English lesson we did the components of advertising and I remember some of them, distinctly.
We all want to be loved and we all want reassurance of worth and advertising builds on these factors to sell their products.
I remember those as they are very evident in advertising e.g. the aftershave that has women chasing after you – we all want to be loved.
Or the perfume where women are swooned over, the most desirable, and seen as the most beautiful in all the world - We all want to be loved, we all want to belong.
The best USPs take a unique quality and explain how that quality will benefit customers, all in a few memorable words.
Many companies past and present use USPs as their slogans, so that they can put them in front of as many prospective customers as possible.
In fact, some of the best slogans of the past have used unique product qualities that no one would think were good selling points -- until they worked!
Are YOU WITH ME? – NO we are with the WOOLICH – in my teaching career I had a lot of fun with my students with that one – it’s a pity that Building Society don’t exist anymore – it merged.
But I’m sure you get the point if not what about the chocolate that doesn’t melt in your hands – Treets melt in your mouth NOT in your hand.
But one of the best must be ‘diamonds are forever’ and has been in use since 1948 and is still used today.
This USP is based on the fact that diamonds are almost unbreakable, last forever and thus are the perfect symbol for eternal love.
As a result, diamonds are by far the most popular choice for engagement rings.
This USP has been immortalised by the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, a 1971 film where Shirley Bassey performs the title theme song.
That’s the secular world for you which is part and parcel of our everyday lives, so where does the Church – You and I benefit from these USPs in promoting the Christian faith.
What are the USPs that we can use to lead men and women to the ultimate USP, Jesus Christ?
What are the unique qualities of the Christian faith? What does the Christian faith offer that the secular world cannot offer?
Everyone wants to be loved, we all want to be wanted and we all want to be valued - reassurance of worth - it doesn’t matter who we are or what we do, we are worth something to someone and Jesus welcomes us with open arms.
What does our Christian faith offer, what does the Church offer? What are our USPs of being love and wanted?
And the answer is so simple God our Father loves us and He wants us as His beloved children.
That is exactly why Jesus was born and died to show us how much God loves us.
To realise the depth of God’s love in Jesus strikes us to the very core of our hearts - it is an everlasting love that even death cannot destroy.
The love that our secular world promotes is transient the aftershave, the perfume wears off and is gone but God's love lasts forever, it is infinite.
Even those diamonds might be for ever but we still lose them when we die – as they say there are no pockets in a shroud.
But God's everlasting love is made manifest in His Son Jesus Christ and as such we belong as Children of God and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven and it is all everlasting.
All this gives us hope, hope in the present and hope in the future, so our USPs are:
• Jesus – God’s love manifest
• Community of believers, the Church – I need to belong
• The Holy Spirit – our life source
• Growth through Scripture – the jewel in the crown
• Answered prayer – God listens and acts
• Positive lifestyle – we have something to hope for
- I need to be valued for what I am – reassurance of worth – God accepts us for what we are
- I need to be loved – God’s love in Jesus
Research has shown that those who attend Church and believe in God are healthier, happier and live longer.
Joining a congregation is strongly linked to a marked improvement in physical, mental and relational well being.
But there are conditions both on the individual and the congregation they are joining.
The individual has to make an effort to integrate into the worshipping community and its activities - to get known and make friends.
The congregation has to be welcoming with open arms so as to make the individual feel at home within the worshipping community.
We call this fellowship and it is part of our stewardship - the giving of self and your talents to the glory of God - never forget it is in giving that we receive - and in many ways we receive far more than we give.
But the emphasis is in the giving of self, the giving of money is the easy option (I know the Church wardens and treasurer will not like me saying this).
But it's all part and parcel of the same thing the giving of self naturally includes the giving of money.
This is a debate that can go on for ever as everyone has a unique reason why they are a Christian – something that God through Christ has done for you and it is this that we must share.
At a Church leaders conference about what is unique about Christianity, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate.
Someone suggested that what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of the incarnation, the idea that God took human form in Jesus.
But someone quickly said, “Well, actually, other faiths believe that God appears in human form.”
Another suggested: what about the resurrection? The belief that death is not the final word.
That the tomb was found empty – but someone slowly shook their head. Other religions have accounts of people returning from the dead.
As the debate continued, C.S. Lewis walked into the room, tweed jacket, pipe, arm full of papers, a little early for his presentation.
He sat down and took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate.
Finally during a lull, he spoke saying, “what’s all this rumpus about?”
Everyone turned in his direction. Trying to explain themselves, they said, “We’re debating what’s unique about Christianity.”
“Oh, that’s easy,” answered Lewis. “It’s grace.”
The room fell silent.
Lewis continued that Christianity uniquely claims God’s love comes free of charge, no strings attached.
No other religion makes that claim.
After a moment someone commented that Lewis had a point, Buddhists, for example, follow an eight-fold path to enlightenment. It’s not a free ride.
Hindus believe in karma, that your actions continually affect the way the world will treat you; that there is nothing that comes to you not set in motion by your actions.
Someone else observed the Jewish code of the law implies God has requirements for people to be acceptable to him and in Islam God is a God of Judgement not a God of love. You live to appease him
At the end of the discussion everyone concluded Lewis had a point.
Only Christianity dares to proclaim God’s love is unconditional. An unconditional love that we call grace.
Christians boldly proclaim that grace really has precious little to do with us, our inner resolve, or our lack of inner resolve. (Illustration contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 31, 2003)
Rather, grace is all about God and God freely giving to us the gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and love.
We are living examples of these USPs and..
What better USP is there than that?!
AND ironically that love is manifested in Jesus as the prayer we call the grace expounds: The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore …AMEN.
