One of our core values at OTCC is that we believe that our worship should be authentic – regardless what form that takes and when or where it takes place. The key word is “authentic”.
In the current issue of Fast Company magazine, Bill Breen writes about authenticity from a marketing standpoint. Understanding that Christ-followers are called to point the world’s attention to Christ (i.e., “market” Him to them), we should take some of his points under advisement:
…[I]t is a brand’s values – the emotional connection it makes – that truly define its realism. And there are four primary strands that draw out that connection.
- A sense of place – “a place we can connect with… A place with a story”
- A strong point of view – “people with a deep passion for what they are doing”
- Serving a larger purpose – “purpose-driven”
- Integrity – “the story that the brand tells through its actions aligns with…its communications”
A church needs to be authentic – a place where the God-story of life change is told; a place where Christ-followers are deeply passionate for God and people; a place where we are driven forward by God’s purpose and mission for us; and a place where what we say and what we do are the same, no matter who’s looking.
You can read his whole article here.
Until next time,
Dan’l
The comments in this blog are always the personal opinions of Daniel Goepfrich and are not meant to be taken as official statements of Oak Tree Community Church, its staff, or its members.
I loved this last paragraph from the article: Sometimes even the most homogenized of places can evoke a flicker of authenticity. The morning after last fall’s congressional elections, the newly elected senator from New Jersey, Robert Menendez, breakfasted at his usual spot, the International House of Pancakes (NYSE:IHP) in Union City. Menendez, formerly mayor of Union City, sat in his regular booth, ordered the same breakfast he always orders, and spent an hour catching up with longtime friends.
Few restaurants are more prefab than IHOP, yet there Menendez was, paying homage to a staff that knew his breakfast by heart and to patrons who’ve watched his kids grow up. On the surface, the Union City franchise is hardly authentic–it’s similar to the IHOP in, say, Muncie, Indiana. But the friendships that Menendez has made there are certainly genuine. It’s not that Starbucks, Cold Stone Creamery, BMW, Nike, or any other brand is really, really real. What’s real are the experiences and the connections that the brands allow us to make–if they give us an honest chance.
This is what will allow Oak Tree to be a beacon of light in our community! Thanks for your post…good stuff
I agree – what ultimately matters isn’t so much what we look like as who we really are. It’s the same thing God is looking for in us individually. The rest just builds on that. Thanks