21-Church Publicity
CHAPTER XXI CHURCH PUBLICITY
THOSE engaged professionally in the advertising business complain that they are unable to overcome the conservatism of the church as to publicity. As a matter of fact, the church for many centuries has practiced publicity diligently. The church spire, setting the church building apart from all others in the community and visible from afar, has been for centuries an excellent device for advertising religion; and the cross on the spire and the gable-ends commonly suggests certain denominational viewpoints in religion. The most that can be said truthfully is that the church is only conservative in adopting certain new methods of publicity. The inertia of an old and established institution is, in part, responsible; in other part, it is due to the control of an old ideal in all the great professions that disapproves undue self-assertion on the part of professional workers in attracting attention to themselves. It is not quite obvious that the bizarre methods employed in getting a certain brand of chewing-gum or cigarettes before the nation are in good taste for lawyers, physicians, and ministers. A newspaper may shamelessly declare itself “the Greatest Newspaper in the World/’ but such a legend emblazoned above the door of the church is so at variance with the spirit of humility as to arouse the suspicion that the church, through pride and self-conceit, has ceased to be Christian. On the other hand, the professional worker must believe in his cause or he will never succeed. Self-confidence is indispensable, so long as it stops short of egotism. And he must find a way to establish new personal contacts, thus widening the range of acquaintance. All this applies to the church and the minister as certainly as to medicine and the physi
225 226 THE PASTORAL OFFICE cian. It would be stupid for any religious worker to say, “I do not believe in publicity.” But a wise man will be cautious about the publicity methods which he employs. No final answer can be made to the question, “What is legitimate?” Whatever will appeal to the imagination of the community, without cheapening religion or offending good taste, is in order. But communities differ greatly in their standards touching such matters. Moreover, a man must be true to himself, doing nothing that will harm his self-respect. This implies that he must constantly examine the motive that actuates him in his desire for publicity. Does he seek a crowd for a crowd’s sake? to gratify his conceit? or is he honestly desirous of reaching unselfishly a larger number of people for the good he can do them?
Within these limits the largest liberty must be accorded ministers and churches.
It is quite possible that in another twenty-five years churches generally will employ devices which now are used only by a very few. Let it be said, however, that modern advertising has become almost an art. And one who contemplates the use of new methods should read many volumes on the general subject before committing himself to a unique program of publicity. And he should read everything that has been written by the pioneers in these methods as applied to churches. The more helpful volumes will be found listed at the close of this chapter. But the publicity methods which are most open to criticism are probably least valuable for the work of the church.
After all such are eliminated, there remains a multitude of devices which are generally approved, whose power does not derive from novelty and is not affected by frequent repetition. And every pastor should use them in his work. i. WELL-KEPT CHURCH PROPERTY. The condition of the building and grounds always advertises the church, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse! Some congregations would find new people coming to their services if they would only spend a little money on paint and keep CHURCH PUBLICITY 227 the lawn well watered and neatly trimmed. And an attractive exterior must be matched by a clean and inviting interior. The stranger in the community instinctively feels that a church which keeps its property in good condition probably has other worth-while ideals. On the contrary, if the first impression made by the property be one of untidiness and general decay, he does not expect much helpfulness from its spiritual ministry. Experience too often justifies this estimate.
2. A BULLETIN BOARD. A bulletin board on the outside of the church is a useful publicity device, provided it is neat in its appearance and announces simply and briefly the services to be held, together with the name and address of the pastor. One that is in need of paint or repair, or on which the announcements are hastily scrawled with crayon, is of questionable value. If an announcement is worth making, it should be made in such fashion as to attract not repel. Many churches in recent years post a “wayside sermon,” consisting of a single short sentence, on their bulletins, thus rendering a helpful ministry by dropping a great thought into the minds of those who read.
3. WORTH-WHILE SERVICES. No church has a right to large numbers in its congregation unless it is doing everything in its power to make the services worth while. By novel publicity methods it may be possible to induce people to enter the church for a single service, but if they get nothing, they will not return a second time, be the publicity agent ever so clever. “Have something of value to advertise before you advertise,” is a word of caution needed by many congregations and ministers. To conduct their services of worship more skillfully and make them more dynamic, to improve the quality of their educational work, to give Christian fellowship more significance would be the finest possible “ad” for many congregations.
4. PRINTING. The printer’s art can be of great help in spreading information about the work of the church. a. A congregation which can afford it should publish a 228 THE PASTORAL OFFICE
“weekly calendar” containing all announcements for the next week. It is better than making oral announcements, for the calendar may be taken home for reference. It should be paid for, as is true of all printed matter issued by the church, out of the church treasury and never contain anything except church news. No official board should permit the pastor or any organization in the church to solicit advertisements with the view of compelling the business men to bear the cost of such publications. This is a deliberate exploitation of commercial institutions, and it is disastrous for worship. While the minister attempts to lead the minds of the congregation in prayer, the bulletin, thus prostituted to secular ends, is reminding them where they may secure groceries and clothing most cheaply. b. Paid “display ads” in the newspapers are becoming increasingly common. The writing of them so as to be impressive is a difficult matter. c. Better than these are “news letters” about the churches of the community, which the editors are glad to publish frequently without cost if prepared by a minister who knows how to write newspaper English. d. For special meetings or unusual occasions, window cards are valuable. e. Neatly printed invitations sent through the mails or carried by church visitors to individuals make a good impression generally. The mechanical work of all printed matter issued by the church should be excellent and on good paper.
5. PERSONAL TOUCH. The most valuable publicity is that which costs nothing the commendation of those who are pleased with what they have found. This is personal and voluntary. When the members of the church express spontaneously great happiness in the fellowship and worship of their church, that church will have congregations whether they employ unique methods of advertising or not.
Let church members form the habit of talking their church up not down. It will always be possible to find some fault CHURCH PUBLICITY 229 if one is so disposed; but, on the contrary, there is nearly always more to commend than condemn if we choose to find it. a. Pastoral visiting. The systematic visitation of all persons on the membership and constituency rolls of the church by the pastor is a very fine method of publicity, to say no more concerning it. It suggests that the chief leader of the church is personally interested in the people of the community, and makes an irresistible appeal. However large the membership, and however many paid workers there may be on the ministerial staff, every pastor should “visit from house to house.” b. Personal Canvass. An organized canvass of the community for persons, similar to a canvass for money, in which members of the church carry invitations to other persons, individually, is immensely rewarding. c. Letter-writing. The writing of letters, where calls cannot be made, will often serve equally well. d. Telephone. A pastor in Denver had his church so perfectly organized by the “Unit System” (though not a Methodist church) that by using the telephone, the whole constituency could be informed of any important matter in two hours, without anyone calling more than six or eight persons. The pastor would call his ten “captains”; each of these, five or six “lieutenants”; and each of these, six or eight persons or families. “In rural communities, one person can notify all the families on a given telephone line.”
6. COOPERATIVE PUBLICITY. In many communities the churches advertise cooperatively through the press, by billboards, and other devices. The occasion is generally some special event or campaign, though it may be intended merely to call attention to the regular services of the church. The “Go-to-Church Sunday” is a familiar example.
7. THE ADVERTISING COMMITTEE. Many churches have an advertising committee composed of from three to five persons whose judgment and zeal in such matters are worth while. The pastor should meet with them frequently to 230 THE PASTORAL OFFICE suggest and guide sometimes to save himself embarrassment resulting from the personal exploitation of his gifts by the committee. For an unrestrained publicity committee will almost certainly proclaim from the housetop the virtues of their pastor in a way that is painful to a modest man. Advertise the church, “but not the pastor!
8. MISCELLANEOUS METHODS. The resourcefulness of such committees is very great. Among the devices which have been employed successfully have been (a) parades, (b) billboards, (c) broadcasting from radio-stations, (d) blotters in schoolrooms and the writing rooms of hotels, (0) electric crosses and signs on the church, (/) street-car bulletins, (g) musical programs, (h) doorknob tags, (t) stories of community service rendered by the church, (;) lead pencils with name of church upon them, etc. The literature of this subject is growing rapidly and is very suggestive for those contemplating new methods.
BOOKS RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER STUDY E. E. Elliott, How to Advertise a Church.
Christian F. Reisner, Church Publicity.
Charles Stelzle, Principles of Successful Church Advertising.
William C. Skeath, Building the Congregation.
A. F. McGarrah, Practical Inter-Church Methods, pp. 199-335.
Fred B. Fisher, The Way to Win, Chapter VI.
Francis H. Case, Handbook of Church Advertising.
Roy L. Smith, Capturing Crowds.