Church Marketing 101: Preparing Your Church for Greater Growth [Paperback]

Richard L. Reising (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006

Demystify the secrets to church growth. Most American churches have fewer than 200 members. While they vary in the details, they have one thing in common: the desire to grow. So why do some churches fail to grow, while others in the same community increase exponentially? ChurchMarketing 101 demystifies basic marketing principles for the church, evaluates them against biblical principles, and shows how simple changes can remove roadblocks to growth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Church leaders need to read this book." -- Darren Whitehead [Next Gen Pastor] Willow Creek Community Church

"...Required reading for every pastor in America." -- Brad Abare, founder of Personality(TM) and the Center for Church Communication

"...This book is a must-read for anyone who is committed to reaching their community with the gospel." -- David Dykes [Pastor] Green Acres Baptist Church

"Richard Reising has an important message for the church to hear and apply." -- Robert Morris, senior pastor, Gateway Church, Southlake, Texas

"Richard does not take a cookie cutter approach to marketing, but makes every effort to establish a biblical approach." -- Dr. Bill Lawrence, president, Leader Formation International

From the Back Cover

Over 50% of the churches in the United States should not be marketing themselves.

Shocked? You should be. Almost every church wants to grow, but why do some succeed while others struggle? If you're a pastor or a layperson serving on an outreach committee or evangelism team, reading this book will help you avoid the pitfalls that prevent churches from growing.

The answer is simple. "God is not as interested in promotion as he is in preparation," says recognized church marketing expert Richard Reising. In ChurchMarketing 101, Reising demystifies basic marketing principles to show how simple changes can remove roadblocks to attracting visitors and future members. Tested in light of Scripture and the concerns of the local church, this empowering and practical book will help you see your church in a new way-and make adjustments to reach your community more effectively for Christ.


"Richard Reising has done a great service to all who are interested in increasing the influence of the gospel by writing ChurchMarketing 101. You will finish this book with a clearer head and a hotter heart!"-David Shibley, president, Global Advance

"Reising converts lofty corporate marketing strategies into simple, Christ-centered, and people-focused principles. Any organization will take away a clearer sense of vision and a greater understanding of how to get there."-Dave Dravecky, founder, Outreach of Hope


Richard L. Reising is the founder and president of Artistry Marketing Concepts, an organization based in Dallas, Texas, that helps churches and ministries make wise use of marketing, design, and technology.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books; Reprinted edition (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801065925
• ISBN-13: 978-0801065927
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,946 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go Ahead Buy this Book!, March 14, 2006

By 

Chris Forbes "gmnonprofits.com" (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Church Marketing 101: Preparing Your Church for Greater Growth (Paperback)

Everyday in the United States people are bombarded with a communication avalanche. It has been estimated by communication experts that the average American experiences 1,500-3,500 attempts to get his/her attention per day. With all that competition, what hope do we who want to communicate to church members and unchurched people about our church events and ministry opportunities have of getting people to hear us? How do we keep the message we know is so important from getting drowned by the information tsunami? The only solution is to learn to become more strategic in the ways your church communicates with your community. Marketing is a discipline that can help you communicate better.

Church Marketing 101 is a good resource to help you learn how to apply marketing know-how in your context. Richard Reising does a great job in making marketing concepts accessible to ministry leaders. He makes as clear an explanation of the concept of branding as I have seen anywhere. And he does it without too much technical jargon. Reising's heart for ministry also shows through in this book. This is a very readable, practical church marketing book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A visitor's perception, August 4, 2006

By 

Cathy Messecar "Author, A Still and Quiet Sou... (Montgomery, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Church Marketing 101: Preparing Your Church for Greater Growth (Paperback)

I gained so much from Mr. Reising's book Church Marketing 101.

Reising's profound love for the Lord and his desire that Christians rightly influence the unchurched and the unsaved is compelling.

He teaches the body of Christ how to follow Colossians 4:5-6 by making the most of every opportunity with conversations full of grace, seasoned with salt, and able to answer all inquiries.

One key insight from his book stands out: that Jesus, Paul, King Solomon, and others managed the perception of contacts because while God looks on the heart, most men judge by sight. Read to find out the particulars of how churches can have a greater influence on visitors.

I'm recommending this book to the elders and leaders of my home congregation. Thank you, Richard, for sharing your expertise.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent plan for church strategic growth, March 21, 2006

By 

Rebecca H. Motley (Champaign, IL, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Church Marketing 101: Preparing Your Church for Greater Growth (Paperback)

This book hits on many of the challenges facing particularly main-line churches today and forces churches to ask themselves if they are connecting to their members and the community. I appreciate his easy to read style and explanations for lay people regarding the definition of branding. Very helpful!