“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven"Matthew:5:14-16
Some years ago , before I was in the ministry "full time", I worked in the field of Adverting .
I had the opportunity to handle many different types of accounts, some were large, some small.
Some of our clients understood the value of having a well thought out ad program, others had a less than structured program or clear understanding of how advertising works. Businesses which advertised ,in general did, and do, more business.
I helped clients develop a lot of newspaper advertising schedules over the years that were effective in getting their message out to the public and as a result their markets and revenues increased. In short adverting really does work.
Ad Mistakes
Others however would want to insert small ads crammed full of too much information, it would be displayed a few times then stopped, again with minimal results. Too much, too small.
Some new clients would place a mid size ad and have it in the paper only a few times "to see what happens" . They would then discontinue the ads only after a short time.
Other business would place an ad only when they had a special event or sale.
These advertisers would hope that their ads would be noticed and bring results , yet they ended up almost always disappointed, and concluded that advertising was ineffective. Others would declare that the cost was too much, the price too high.
Some times the text or copy was not well thought out, other times it was not carefully reviewed , one such ad was for a day care center for children. The ad copy was meant to read "bring us your children and we'll nurture them" , instead it read "bring us your children and we'll neuter them" . Needless to say these "typos" do not help a business to be profitable.
What Goes Wrong?
Why did the advertisers ads fail them? What went wrong? In adverting there are principles that bring results. An ad, regardless of it's size and even if it is full color will soon be forgotten by the public it is is displayed only once, no matter how well the ad is desigen.
A small ad with too much information will be ignored by the public, simply due to the public's' limited attention span. or they just do not have time to read it therefore they will not read it to find out how the advertisers can benefit them. This type of adv becomes printed background noise and is ignored.
An ad displayed for a one time event then drops from view is soon forgotten when the event ends .
Those who are just trying "to see what will happens" by placing a few ads then discontinue will find little results because the public has no time to become familiar with them, who they are where they are and what they do and will not know what they have to offer. This occurs when business owners loses patience.
T.O.M.A
What these advertisers failed to do, was to develop Top of Mind Awareness, or T.O.M.A, which means that when the public becomes so familiar with a business' name after being exposed repeatedly and constantly to their adverting , they begin to have name recognition. That is, when a person has a need they think of the a particular business for goods and or services. Simply, when they have a need they think of the ads they have seen.
TOMA is developed when a advertisers displays their ads with a balanced size and frequency . When this is done both the advertiser and the public profit. They discover what they gain far out weighs the cost.
A Lesson for Christians
Like advertises , Christians can make some of the same mistakes concerning the Christian life and our relationship with the world around us. Part of our calling of being Christians is to present a message to the world around us of what a relationship with Jesus Christ is about , the benefits which they can have in this relationship in such away that they too would want to be Christians.
Ads
Often Christians or even churches will do one big thing hoping that this will bring the results of others coming to believe in Jesus. There maybe some initial interest, but without reinforcement on a frequent basis , this interest fades and is soon forgotten.
Some Christians are too full of information and are very willing to share it with others often at the most inopportune moments that become more of a distraction and in the end a nuisance, they become just so much "background noise" and tuned out. They are ignored and over looked. A few might take a moment to investigate their claims but most will not.
Some Christians will attempt to advertise their faith "to see what happens" When the results are not what they hoped for they discontinue and give up.Some may fall back into old patterns and life styles
Some will have a one time event in their lives, some unique occurrence they will tell others about Jesus, but often they run out of reasons for sharing their faith fore it was based on a one time event.
Spiritual TOMA
What will work, what should a Christian's ad program look like if we are to develop TOMA in the minds of those around us? How can we advertise our relationship with Jesus so that when people think of Christianity they think of us? When they become aware of their need for Jesus will they know that we can help them? In others words is there is Spiritual TOMA, Top of Mind Awareness, that we are Christians?
We are to be living advertisements of and for Jesus Christ, ads that are noticed with the right placement , size and frequency .
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither
do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on
its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven"Matthew:5:14-16
Jesus tells us here that we should be in plain view that others might see.
I might add the right copy, with no typos so others will see in us the benefits (blessings) of being in a relationship with Jesus Christ for all to see.We are to have an accurate and informed message that attracts others to Jesus.
" Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who
does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" .2Timothy:2:15
Jesus tells us that the fruit of this relationship with Him should be seen as well.
“I
am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you,
you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If
you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and
withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."John:15:5-8
This fruit is seen by those around us and will lead them to glorify God.
The Apostle Peter writing to Christians tells us that others should see our lives properly displaying all that is available in a relationship with Jesus , and that this is a large part of our calling , but to do so in a balance way that is genuine without pretense, and this is to have ongoing frequency , which means it is our life.
"But
you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s
special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called
you out of darkness into his wonderful light"
"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of
doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he
visits us." 1Peter:2:9, 12
We are to be able to answer the inquiries from those who address us regarding our faith in Christ.
"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an
answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you
have. But do this with gentleness and respect,"1Peter:3:15
The Best Ad Program
The best advertisement we can have, is that others see the unselfish love that we have for and toward one another. This above all things will reflect not just our love for each others but God's love for all, this has the greatest power to attract others and is the best advertisement there can be , it will point others to our Lord Jesus Who has and is everything that any and all could ever need or want.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”John:13:34-35
This Love, when it is seen in our lives , will best the best ad program to develop that TOMA in the minds of others, so that when they think of Christians they will will think of us....Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The
Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike.
2101 Old National Pike.
Washington,
Pennsylvania.
www.gcfountainoflife.org
The
Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in
Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area
of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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