One of the greatest challenges found within the church is the ability to process our own churches from outsider perspectives. Our denominations, church buildings and websites all say something to a visitor about what we value. Guess what? So does our signage. And quite poignantly, it actually says something to visitors about how much we value them. Too often, it says, “Sorry visitor, this church is just for people who already know their way around.” Sometimes it says, “We only had the plans and resources to put up the walls, not to guide you through them.” Or perhaps, “We are scrappy and less professional than your children’s elementary school. Each room has its own sign style, depending on what decade it had our attention.”

Sorry for being so direct, but as institutions that have been given a mandate for providing direction to a lost world, churches lag dramatically behind when it comes to providing direction within their four walls. (Read on...)

What if you could change the way people saw your church? What if you could give it the kind of extreme makeover that would make a new generation take notice and knock on your door? Could you, by communication build a bridge towards a new you? Most assuredly. Can you do it without internally embodying the relevance that your design emanates? Most assuredly not.

Branding is known as the consistent use of design and communication in order or to establish a clearly defined image. It works when that image is consistent with the essence of who you are. When it is not consistent with who and how you are, you come across as a poser—losing more credibility than you know.
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Here's a truism: people that have had a life-changing experience with God want others to find God in a life-changing way. This is surely true. It is also true that most people that sat in church pews last year never invited one single person to their church. So what is the disconnection?

I think one of the biggest disconnects we have in the church is that, as leaders, we often forget what it was like to go to church for the very first time. The intimidation factor for a lone visitor in a new church is simply huge. But it is nowhere close to the stress and vulnerability that is put on a churchgoer who invites a visitor. All inviters put their reputations on the line every time they invite someone to church.
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What is branding? Take a piece of iron, shape it through fire and toil and place it on the raw flesh of an animal. That’s branding. It’s a pretty painful process. So is branding your church. However, in both cases, it leaves an indelible impression that deepens a sense of belonging and sets one apart.

I can hear the shrieks of horror. I know, I actually said “church” and “branding” in the same sentence.
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Have you ever wondered why some churches have existed without an ounce of growth for ten years, where in the same community other churches have multiplied over 10 times within 12 months? Have you ever questioned why?

The mystery of church growth has eluded us far too long.
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The origins of "branding" are simple. Shape a piece of iron, put it in a fire, and shove it onto the hide of your livestock. It is a byproduct of sweat, fire and pain, but it yields an indelible impression—a lasting mark that creates a sense of belonging and sets one apart.
(Read on...)