TEXT: LUKE 2:41-49 (Don’t read yet)
TITLE: “WORKING AT THE FATHER’S BUSINESS”
(This message is adapted from George Barna’s book, Marketing The Church, pp. 39-54)
INTRODUCTION: A. The president of a business called one of his employees into the office. He said,
“Rob, you’ve been with the company for a relatively short time. You started off in the
mail room, a month later you were promoted to a sales position, and six months after
that you were promoted to district manager of the sales department. Just six months
later, you were promoted to vice-president of sales and marketing. And after another
year, you were made the executive vice-president. Now it’s time for me to retire, and
I want you to take over the company. What do you say to that?"
Rob replied, “Thanks.”
The head of the business was taken aback and said, “Thanks? Is that all you can
say? Thanks?”
And Rob replied, “I guess not. Thanks, Dad!”
--As Christians, we’ve been called to participate in the Father’s business.
B. Let’s read together Jesus’ statement concerning the “Father’s business”
--Luke 2:41-49 (AMP) – “Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year to the
Passover Feast. 42And when He was twelve years [old], they went up, as was their
custom. 43And when the Feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus
remained behind in Jerusalem. Now His parents did not know this, 44But, supposing
Him to be in the caravan, they traveled on a day’s journey; and [then] they sought
Him [diligently, looking up and down for Him] among their kinsfolk and
acquaintances. 45And when they failed to find Him, they went back to Jerusalem,
looking for Him [up and down] all the way. 46After three days they found Him
[came upon Him] in the [court of the] temple, sitting among the teachers, listening
to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were astonished and
overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His intelligence and understanding and His
replies. 48And when they [Joseph and Mary] saw Him, they were amazed; and His
mother said to Him, Child, why have You treated us like this? Here Your father and I
have been anxiously looking for You [distressed and tormented]. 49And He said to
them, How is it that you had to look for Me? Did you not see and know that it is
necessary [as a duty] for Me to be in My Father’s house and [occupied] about My
Father’s business?’”
1. Some translations just havehave must be “in my Father’s house”
--the original language literally means, “things; concerns; interests; affairs”
2. Jesus was actively interested in His Father’s business.
--We , the church – the Body of Christ – must also be actively interested in the
Father’s business.
C. Before I go any further, I need to clarify something:
1. What am I talking about when I say the word “business”?
2. For our purposes this morning, a business would be defined as “any enterprise that
exists to promote a product.”
D. One of the things a business must do to be effective at promoting their product is
marketing
1. Some people have a bad impression of that term “marketing”
a. Why?
b. Because they consider the term “marketing” to be just a fancy word for “sales”
2. In their minds, the term “sales” conjures up a picture of dishonest sales people.
--They associate sales and marketing with high-pressure tactics, unscrupulous
individuals, and illicit wheeling and dealing.
3. In fact, “sales” is only one process in “marketing”
--Marketing actually involves a broad range of activities.
4. George Barna, Marketing The Church: “The basic thrust of marketing is simple: to
coordinate related activities intended to make both the producer and consumer
satisfied.”
a. Notice that marketing is a process – a series of activities – as opposed to a single
event.
b. Notice also that marketing has a GOAL: to fill a need.
E. Since we, too, are to be active in the Father’s business, marketing is an important
process for the church
1. What is church marketing?
2. Barna: “Church marketing is the performance of both business and ministry
activities that impact the church’s target audience with the intention of ministering
to and fulfilling their spiritual, social, emotional, or physical needs and thereby
satisfy the ministry goals of the church.”
3. This morning, we’re going to take a look at the four vital parts of church marketing.
I. THE PRODUCT
--Remember our definition of a business: “any enterprise that exists to promote a product”
A. In business terminology, the product is the thing that you offer to satisfy the consumer’s need
1. It can be tangible items like appliances, automobiles, or office supplies
2. It can also be intangible items like life insurance or medical care.
B. How many of us could accurately describe the church’s product?
1. Some might say the church’s product is:
a. The sermons that are preached
b. The songs that are sung
c. The prayers that are prayed
d. The specific tenets of doctrine emphasized
2. Those specific things just mentioned from a marketing perspective would be termed product features
a. Let’s say I’m an appliance salesman. You come into the appliance store where I work and need a
refrigerator. I show you one of our finest models. I also show you this products’ features: frost-
free, grime-resistant finish, icemaker, chilled water and ice dispenser, rollers, and shelves that are
easy to remove.
b. I also share with you that each of these features has a benefit: Frost-free means no defrosting,
grime-resistant finish means you don’t have to clean off fingerprints as often; the icemaker means
you don’t have to have those little trays or buy your ice at the store; the ice and chilled water
dispenser makes it easier to get a drink when you’re thirsty; rollers mean you can roll the
refrigerator out of its spot to get what falls behind it; and easy to remove shelve s means you can
adjust the space between the shelves for larger or smaller items.
c. Remember those things from a few minutes ago that I said would be termed as product features of
the church? Each one of those features has a benefit with it:
(1). The good feeling you get because you were in a place of worship
(2). The important life lessons you learn from sermons and other studies of scripture
(3). The peace and strength through times of prayer
(4). The joy in your heart as you sing praises to God
3. It’s good that we’ve clarified those things but the main question remains to be answered:
--What is the product promoted by the Father’s business?
a. What is the church’s product?
b. What is it that the church makes available to fill people’s needs?
C. The product of the church is relationships
--These relationships occur on two levels:
1. The foundational relationship is the relationship that forms with Jesus Christ
a. Leading others to a relationship with Jesus Christ is the very essence of the Father’s business
b. The mission of the church is to make believers of all people through a permanent, personal
relationship with Jesus Christ that is both life changing and life giving.
c. I believe the Bible is very clear in this area: Our purpose is to glorify Jesus through our love for
Him, our dependence on Him, and our service to Him.
d. Nothing is more important in our Christian lives and the life of our congregation than this
relationship.
2. The second part of our product evolves directly from our relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s our
commitment to sharing the love and work of Christ with other people.
--Jesus clearly teaches that the two parts go hand-in-hand.
a. Jesus was asked which of the commandments was the greatest.
b. Mt. 22:37-40 – “Jesus replied: " ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind.’[ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the
second is like it: ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these
two commandments."”
D. Is it biblical to look at the product of the church as being relationships?
1. Acts 2:42-47 (which we studied last Sunday evening) – “4They devoted themselves to the apostles’
teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe,
and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together
and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had
need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their
homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the
people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
--The body of believers grew strong because of their commitment to taking care of each other’s needs;
their commitment to relationships.
2. We also need to pay attention to the manner in which Jesus conducted His earthly ministry
a. He was a master at building relationship with people so He could share the gift of salvation with
them.
b. Jesus never invited people to a church meeting.
--He simply built relationships with people and used those relationships as a platform from which to
talk about the meaningful things of life.
II. THE PLACE
A. “Place” in our context is simply a way to refer to the distribution of the product
1. How do I get what is needed to the people who need it?
2. It’s simply identifying where, when, and by whom do I get the product transferred to the person who
needs it.
B. One of the important things that we need to do is to re-evaluate the place that our product is distributed
to those who need it.
1. One big mistake made by many people is that they look at “product distribution” as being limited to
what is done through a paid minister
--However, the New Testament teaches that we are all ambassadors for Christ and ministers in His
name
a. 1 Pet. 2:9 – “9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to
God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful
light.”
b. 1 Pet. 4:10 – “10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
c. Put in different terms, every Christian is supposed to be hard at work in the Father’s business.
--That every Christian – you AND I – are the distribution agents.
2. The second big mistake is that people also conceive of product distribution as being limited to
whatever takes place within the four walls of the church building.
a. When the New Testament talks about the church, it refers to the people, not a building.
(1). In fact, the first century church had no buildings that belonged to the church alone.
(2). They used whatever building that was available and expedient.
--Be it a house, a synagogue, a school, or the temple in Jerusalem
b. As Christians, whether earn our living in a grocery store, in a factory, in an office building, or in
our homes, we are the Church in action.
c. Back in the 1970’s, AT&T paid $60 million for a five word slogan: “Reach out and touch
someone.”
d. The church is all about people reaching out and touching other people, so in reality there are no
geographic or physical boundaries to our efforts.
III. THE PROMOTION
A. “Promotion” is communicating the nature and availability of the product
1. Promotion is important because without it, your product doesn’t stand a chance of succeeding in
meeting people’s needs.
--Two main reasons why:
a. The people who need your product will either remain unaware of your product or
b. They won’t have a compelling reason to evaluate or try your product.
2. Businesses promote their products in different ways.
--The most common methods of promotion are:
a. Mass-media advertising (radio, TV, newspaper, magazine ads)
b. Direct marketing (mail, telephone)
c. Personal recommendations (word of mouth)
d. Coupons and trial offers
B. What is the best method of promoting a product?
1. Study after study shows that the most believable method and the most effective method of
promotion is personal recommendation (word of mouth)
2. As far as the church is concerned, research consistently shows that people who have made Jesus
Christ their Lord and Savior were led to that decision by the testimony of another person that they
knew or were related.
--What does the research tell us?
a. Less than one percent of “born again” believers in the U.S. made Jesus Christ their Lord and
Savior through the efforts of evangelistic TV programs.
b. A slightly higher number have become Christians by reading Christian books and magazines and
by listening to Christian radio programs.
c. About 5 percent became Christians through special programs at churches.
d. A slightly higher percentage did so because of the preacher at a certain congregation.
e. However, over 85% of those who make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior have done so through
the efforts and testimony of their friends, families, and neighbors.
C. Establishing and nurturing relationships with other people is how we lead people to accept the church’s
core product – salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
IV. THE PRICE
A. Determining price for a product is a very complex task.
1. It involves a large number of variables.
2. The ultimate goal of price in the business is that it should accomplish the following things:
a. Bring a fair and reasonable return on your investment.
b. Make the product financially accessible to the people who need it.
c. Provide a realistic value of service to those who need it.
B. There is one important concept we have to remember as a church: We can’t confuse the concept of
“price” with the concept of “finances”
1. The nature of our product is one in which a financial transaction is unnecessary.
2. The Church, on the other hand, is required to make an investment
a. It’s an investment of commitment
b. It’s a total commitment
--A total personal, emotional, physical, and intellectual commitment to the product
C. Don’t get me wrong – the church needs money to operate, but that’s not the price of our product
1. Financial support for the church is an outgrowth of a person’s desire to further spread or market the
product once the price has been paid.
2. Jesus, again, serves as our premier example in how to deal with this situation.
a. Jesus walked the roads and streets in Judea and Galilee paying little attention to fundraising
b. His primary concern was establishing relationships with those He met and teaching His followers
about a personal commitment to righteousness.
c. The investment the church needs t make is an investment from the heart and not from the wallet.
CONCLUSION: A. Secular businesses are actually at a disadvantage to the church in marketing their product
--The church has four distinctive elements that distinguish its marketing effort from
secular marketing efforts:
1. We have the Bible as our guide
a. We prepare our plans and tactics from scriptural direction and supervision
b. The pages of the Bible serve as our measuring stick to measure the validity and
integrity of our plans.
2. We have the power of prayer
a. No church should enter into the marketing process without turning to God in
prayer seeking His power and guidance.
b. No church should adopt a plan of operation, regardless how sophisticated, without
offering it to God for His blessings.
c. It’s through prayer that we involve God as our Senior Partner in our “business
venture”
3. Another advantage that the church has over secular businesses is that we are not in
competition with each other.
a. Financial gain is not part of our marketing process
b. Scriptural and prayer-driven marketing methods affords every person who becomes
involved an opportunity to further the Father’s business through their unique gifts
and talents that God has given to each of us.
4. The fourth advantage: Since we don’t treat the church’s marketing process as an
opportunity for personal gain, we’re freed from using money as our scale of success.
a. Secular businesses engage in marketing for the purpose of accumulating tangible
wealth.
b. The church engages in marketing for higher purposes: our efforts should result in
more effective ministry and greater service to God.
B. Earlier, I spoke about the concept of price
1. A young man in poverty named Howard Kelly was selling goods from door to
door to pay his way through college. One day he had nothing but a dime to his name
and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However,
he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.
Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry
and so she brought him a large glass of milk instead. He drank it slowly, and then
asked, "How much do I owe you?"
"You don’t owe me anything," she replied. "My mother taught us never to accept
payment for kindness." He said, "Then I thank you from my heart." As he left that
house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and his emotional
well-being were strengthened too. He had been ready to just give up and quit.
Years later, that same woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled.
They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare
disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the
name of the town she came from, he went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor’s gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.
He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life.
From that day, he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle
against the disease was won.
Dr. Kelly requested that the hospital billing department send the final bill to him
for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent
to her room. She was afraid to open it, because she was sure it would take the rest of
her life to pay for it all. Finally she opened the bill, looked at it, and saw something
that caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words:
PAID IN FULL WITH ONE GLASS OF MILK....
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly.
a. The Bible tells us that Jesus says the same thing about the debt we owe for our
sin.
b. It’s paid in full, by him.
2. The greatest part of our salvation is that Jesus paid the ultimate price
a. Eph. 2:8 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God…”
b. 2 Cor. 9:15 – “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
c. You don’t pay for a gift!
--It’s free!
d. Will you accept the gift Christ offers to you this morning?
