A lesson from the mayor

These days I see just about everything through the eyes of the church plant. There was recently an article in the London Free Press on the run for mayor. What was interesting is that the two top contenders, Anne Marie DeCicco-Best and Joe Fontana, each spent just over $84,000 on their campaigns. What was different is HOW they spent the money. Fontana spent over $22,000 on his office. DeCicco-Best spent only $4,259 and used one borrowed cellphone. Where was the difference made up? Fontana spent only $15,369 on advertising, while DiCicco-Best spent over $33,000. On election day DiCicco-Best had over 22,000 more votes than Fontana.
At some point all church planters, and all churches, must wrestle with this issue of advertising. The truth is, we don't even like the word and shy away from it. Somehow it seems "un-spiritual" (whatever that means)- like we're depending on human invention rather than God. I even hear pastors who brag about not advertising.
Launching a new faith community, a new church, is a deeply spiritual endeavour. There is no doubt about that. Yet at the same time it is more "worldly" than anything I've ever done before- the list of things to do to organize and prepare is enormous. At some point we are going to have to choose between our office and our advertising.
I think I've learned a valuable lesson from our mayor- don't act like the mayor until you have the office. And even after you have the office, keep spending your money on advertising. If it bothers you to call it advertising, then call it spreading the good news. Because the life we have in Jesus is just too great to keep in our office- it's meant for all the world to know and experience.