Unnoticed ministries: Why churches need to tell their stories

I am a Christian who leans toward the liberal side of politics. I associate with lots of urbanized and sophisticated liberals, many of whom are not men and women of faith. Few of them have any idea what churches are doing to serve their communities. I’ve concluded that faith communities need to do a better job of telling their stories.

Pat MacJennett, a senior executive in the convention and tourism industry, in discussing with a reporter her agency’s marketing strategy, said that an organization that fails to tell its story is rejecting Marketing 101. “If you have a great story to tell but you are not telling it, no one’s going to hear it.” In a world of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Skype, YouTube and e-mail, the means of telling your story are greater than ever.

I know that clergy are not eager to add “press secretary” to their list of duties. But pastors who have never visited a newsroom of a local newspaper, never had contact with a television or radio station or never had lunch with a local publisher or media executive have missed an opportunity. If a pastor can’t find time to do this work, it’s likely that someone else in the church is skilled in public relations or media and knows how to write a news release and call a press conference.