Easter Marketing: Mixed Emotions

I pick up the paper, get lost in story after story of tragedy in our community, and then turn to a page of ads promoting Easter Services in the area.

I honestly don’t know what to think. Churches want to let people know what they are doing for Easter Sunday and I went looking for some possibilities, but after reading every single ad I just feel sad.

Reading the ads for Easter Services is like reading the ads for a new car. Some come complete with an Easter Brunch, Excellent Child Care, Plays, famous worship leaders, catchy sermons and even Easter Egg Hunts following the services. I’m still not sure what an Easter Egg Hunt has to do with Jesus dying on a cross for my sins, but oh well.

I’m not trying to be all humbug about this but it makes me…..numb. We’ve reduced Jesus’ death to marketing 101. We make great plays and pageants to attract people to church to hear the message and yet what Christ did for us was ugly, messy and difficult to market, really.

I don’t attend a regular church service anymore and am considering going to one tomorrow because I want to. As I look over the graphics and offerings of all the congregations my eyes are drawn not to the “Super Church Services” but I urn for something simple, easy and a place where people come and go and don’t “use” the day to try to lure more membership to their church.

I was asked to speak at a community Easter Service at a cemetery in town but it didn’t work out. That seems pretty real to me. No pageantry or fancy hot cross buns, just death in a cemetery.

What Christ did for me and for you is unexplainable. The anguish He must have felt goes beyond anything you and I can ever understand. Celebrating His death and resurrection is a wonderful thing but after reading the ads I have to wonder if we’ve gone too far.

There is a fine line between informing and marketing and what I saw this morning causes me to wonder if we really understand what the cross was all about.

Disclaimer: These are the thoughts of Rick Dancer and should not be taken in a way that cause anyone think he is anti-Easter Service or in any way believes those who go to an Easter Service are wrong. Rick Dancer is not against Easter Egg Hunts or traditions but only questions such things because he can. Rick Dancer has many weaknesses but one of them is questioning the traditions of man when he feels they may overshadow the message and traditions of God. His reflections in no way speak for the owners of this website, his business or any of his friends, past, present or future. If you see Mr. Dancer at an Easter Service please refrain from attacking him he is covered by the blood of Jesus…..too.

3 Comments

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  Greg April 23, 2011 at 9:56 am

  Rock On Rick..! As one that has experienced the behind the scenes adventures of church, I cringe every Christian holiday. Tomorrow, thousands of dollars will be spent by the local churches, competing for the spotlight.

  Elaborate productions will take place all over town, for one day, one message… “look at me”… and the rest of the year ? the single mom will be turned away when they come looking for a bag of diapers. “We do not have funds for” will be heard all over town. The poor will hear: We give to this charity, or that program… go there, we only serve our members here, “paying, members”. Alter calls? if any… a brochure for the next “membership class”. Wouldn’t it be something if souls meant more than money, a new giant screen, add two people to the payroll…

  As you can tell… this show that happens every year is a big pet peeve of mine. Easter is a very special day for me. It was easter morning, at a little baptist church in 1964, that I made my way to the front… and asked Jesus to forgive me, and come into my heart, my life, my thoughts and dreams… though life has been pretty tough, and I bark every now & then, My Lord always remembers my Spiritual Birthday… Easter… 47yrs tomorrow… and an eternity from then on.
• 
  Rick April 23, 2011 at 10:22 am

  I have been reading a book by Simon Sinek: “Start with Why – How great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action.” It’s really about marketing, but I am seeing the idea crop up in my daily life. When a business or organization loses it’s “Why”, they lose their way and they don’t ever recover until they rediscover their “Why.” The organized church has lost it’s “Why.” It has the How and the What, but they have lost the “Why” of the church.

  I’m not going to “church” this Sunday, but I’m hoping “chruch” will find me, in a chance to witness, or to share, or to love. Happy Easter everyone. Jesus Lives!
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  Greg April 24, 2011 at 8:41 am

  I read a book years ago about “The Reason”. I guess it could have been called “The Why”. Several chapters addressed the topic, Has The Church Lost Its Reason For Being… Have they Substituted something else? their own reason(s)?

  Happy Easter Rick…