Brad Wilkerson // COC Metro

Marketing ~ Is It A Dirty Word?

In my 16 years of full time vocational ministry work I have heard various opinions and takes on if the church should market itself or not.  It seems to be a hot topic for pastors and staff team members to talk about.  I am familiar with people who say, “You don’t need to spend money on items and creative ideas that market your church to your target community.  All you need to do is just love people and exist and they’ll come due to your overwhelming care for them.”  While this is very true in many aspects and I buy into most of it, my only question is, “How will they know your church even exists if you do not get the word out?”  I know word of mouth is the best marketing tool available to the church movement but in the visual day that we live in….certain marketing tools are necessary.  In all areas of ministry there must be balance and marketing is no different.

Let me demonstrate how I believe this balance can work when it is orchestrated in the right way.

This morning, I dropped my kiddos off at school and then headed over to Starbucks in Frisco to get a caffeine fix as well as kill some time before my scheduled root canal at 10:30 a.m. in The Colony.  I got my grande Pikes Place with a shot of espresso and opened up my lap top to get on line and check my emails.  In case you do not know, I have our COC metro window decal on the top of my computer.  So I am minding my own business answering the mail that had accumulated over the weekend when this young lady walks up to me and say, “Hey, do you have a connection to that church that you have on computer.”  First of all, remember, our window decal says nothing or shows nothing that labels COC metro as a church.  It is simply our COC logo and our website address (cocmetro.com)…but oddly enough she knew it was a church.  INTERESTING!  So I told her I knew a lot about COC and I would love to share any information with her since I am the pastor!  But I shared with her that before I would tell her anything, I wanted to know how she knew what COC was and how she knew it was a church.  Here is what blew my mind.

She says, “What do you mean.  A lot of people know what COC is.”  I said, “THEY DO?”  I just sit there in amazement.  She said, “I live in Cross Oaks Ranch and I have seen you guys logo everywhere and I’ve been on your website and the church looks really interesting.”  Long story short…we talked for at least 15 minuets about us, about her, and about how she was looking for a church to attend.  I gave her a Grand Opening invite card and she said she’d come check it out.
Wow…I got to show her love and compassion for areas in her life that she is walking through and I was able to do that because our marketing to the 380 corridor had opened that door. Balance is always the key but I will do everything short of sin to get people exposed to our ministry and to my Lord.

Have a great week.

1 ½ WEEKS AND COUNTING TILL GRAND OPENING!

Just Some Thoughts...

I heard someone say the other day, “Where did the summer go?”  In most cases and in most years I would agree with that statement, but not this year.  This has been a long hot summer and in the middle of all of it we were church planting.  After this Saturday night we will have completed 26 Saturday Night worship services many of which happened during some of the hottest days on record in North Texas.  I have enjoyed the summer and I have enjoyed the Saturday night services but to say that I am thrilled about transitioning to Sunday mornings would be an understatement.  I look forward to our last Saturday worship this week but I also look anxiously forward expecting God to do wonderful things as we transition to Sunday worship on Aug. 31st and Grand Open on Sept. 7th.  Don’t miss out on Sunday worship at 10 a.m.

Fall is definitely in the air.  With the rain and lower temperatures this week it can’t be too far away.  But of course the main reason fall is in the air is because FOOTBALL has started!!!!  I know most of you think I am talking about the Cowboys but I sorry I am not.  For me this year, there is a more important team.  That is right, Ryder, is in full pads this year playing in his first year of tackle football.  Yea baby…this is going to be awesome.  You ought to see him in all his pads and helmet.  He is the cutest hitting machine you have ever seen.  We had our first practice last night and he played quarterback and tailback.  It is going to be a fun fall with him in football and Haley playing 8th grade volleyball at Prosper Middle School. 

Now that temps are down, take some time and go outside and play with your kiddos.  Play catch or kick a ball around.  Bottom line…enjoy them and spend some time with them.  You’ll love it.

Have a great week.

2 ½ WEEKS AND COUNTING TILL GRAND OPENING!

IT

As I write this blog I am in Springfield, Missouri picking up my kiddos from their two week visit with Grandparents and cousins.  It is absolutely beautiful here!!!  They have had tons of rain this year and so it is lush and green.  When I come back to Missouri I am always reminded of the beauty of the Ozarks and how much we enjoyed living here for a six awesome years.

Just so you understand what I am talking about, I have been sitting out on my Dad’s back porch reading my new book, IT, since about 7:30 a.m. this morning.  Why would I be sitting outside, isn’t it August?  Yea, it is, but it is August in Missouri.  Today’s high, get this, is supposed to be 78 and there is little to no humidity in the air.  Wow…after the last 25 days in Texas, this feels like Heaven.  I know you are jealous, but I’ll be back tomorrow so don’t be too envious. 

The new book I am reading called, It, is absolutely incredible.  I plan on all of us benefitting from the book later in 2009 as I am planning on preaching a sermon series called, It.  Let this brief synopsis hold you over until the series.  Have you ever walked into a church and said, “Wow, they have it.”  I am sure you have also been in a church when you walked in and said, “Wow, I don’t know if they ever had It but they certainly don’t have It now.”

What is the It?  Well, obviously it is the power of the Holy Spirit but there is so much more.  The reality is, you can’t put your finger on it.  I pray that as we prepare for Grand Opening and our official launch that we will not only have the power of the Holy Spirit on us but we will have it and those who walk through our doors will know it immediately.

3 WEEKS AND COUNTING TILL GRAND OPENING!

Rental Property

Last Friday it was about 105 degrees so Sarah and I thought, “Hey, it’s a great day to move, let’s unload our Pods today.”  Seriously, we finally received access to our new home in Paloma Creek South and we are in!!!  It was brutal with the heat but thanks to some of the great, strong men of COC we got it done.  God has blessed us with a nice house and with His help we will make it a great home. 

Unfortunately we do not own this home, it is a rental property.  Hopefully one day we will own a home again but until then we are content to be here and look forward to using the house that God gave us to reach the people in our neighborhood with the message of Jesus.

When I think of rental property I realize that everything we have is rented.  It has all been given to us as a gift from God.  He owns it all and He has entrusted the management of it to us.  Our lives are His, our money is His, our cars are His, our children are His, and COC is His.  What an awesome blessing and responsibility He has given to us to be managers of it all!

As we approach Grand Opening, may we see it as a great opportunity to be awesome managers of that which He has so graciously given to each of us!  COC is not an accident or some church in a trailer.  It is God’s church filled with God’s children.  As we prepare for this “Glorious Day”, keep in mind that Grand Opening is not the most “Glorious Day” there will ever be.  One day all this rented stuff will be redeemed by Jesus as He returns to take us to eternity with Him.  Continue to store up treasures in Heaven rather than more stuff for the here and now.  Remember, you are just a manager and it is all rented.

Thanks God for trusting us with such great responsibilities.  May we do our best with what we have been given!

4 WEEKS AND COUNTING TILL GRAND OPENING!