To the church growth movement, from Seth Godin, with Love

Seth Godin is THE MAN when it comes to marketing.  And no, he didn't write a love letter to the church growth movement, I was just looking for a title that would catch your eye.  Nor does what he say apply only to the "church growth" gang.  But he did say something today that applies very well to all who would try to grow a church.  It is simply this:

The more people you reach the more likely it is that you're reaching the wrong people.

From what I understand, Seth knows niche marketing like no other and I think this is where he is going, though I could be wrong (and probably am).

There is one sense in which I would strongly disagree with the sentiment, at least as it applies to the church and the gospel - there are no wrong people to reach when it comes to reaching people with the gospel.

On the other hand, Jesus was known to discriminate about who followed Him.  He turned those away who were not willing to forsake all and follow Him.  Thus, He showed that there were certain people He was not seeking to reach, and this had nothing to do with race, socio-economic status, nationality, gender, power, popularity or any of the other things we often discriminate over.  It had everything to do with their willingness to follow Him fully. 

So I think there is a real sense in which Seth has wisdom for those of us in the church.  What's your take?

Comments

[Albert Maruggi]

In the end times it will be the same way, there will be those that it is too late to save. I do believe however, that God is in everyone, to anyone that seeks his peace can have it.

When it comes to Seth's blog, i think he comes up with these lines to be thought provoking and not to be right or wrong.

[Amy]

This "willingness to follow him fully" has always been a sticky wicket with me. I know from my own fallenness that my "willingness" to "follow him fully" can change on a dime, so I am putting my hope in the grace of God and Christ's all-sufficient sacrifice. I mean, ultimately, even Peter and the other apostles frittered out. Only Jesus did the following fully.

[Chris Forbes]

I saw that too. I think churches that reach a lot of people do tend to reach the wrong people. I have seen a lot of growing churches that talk about how they are targeting the "unchurched" who upon investigation are found to be in reality mainly reaching people who already went to church elsewhere. Many of the newest churches don't keep track of who comes to their church because the have bought the mantra that the unchurched want to be anonymous, so they don't really know who they are reaching. I think the application here is for church leaders to evaluate who they really are reaching.

[Read Scott]

My sentiments exactly.

[Christian]

Thank you for sharing the informing on Church growth movement with love.