We are all guilty in the evangelical community of often “ripping off” or “emulating” logos or ideas that we see in the greater culture around us. I am the first to admit that we “emulate” MTV’s Cribs for our college ministry as we go to different student’s apartments and film an episode in an effort to have some fun and connect each other to our greater community.
Some churches do branding campaigns…..
others…
T-shirt designs rip off looks of main-stream brands…
I was guilty of wearing this shirt in high school to the gym,
We even had a friend design our college ministry logo,
Then I received this story from my brother-in-law this morning,
Church steals XBOX 360 trademark to lure new new members
I think we are all guilty of it at some level and to some degree….but does anyone have any thoughts on this topic of Christian marketing, and the use, or emulating of cultural logos or themes, in order to “sell” and “promote” the gospel.
Does the Christian community lack creativity and originality? I don’t think so.
Maybe the very creative get forced outside of the Christian “bubble” because of their free thinking and expression.
Is the non-Christian market just much more creative?
I have a friend who at one point in his life was playing the Charlie Brown theme after church on the piano. And the pastor’s wife came up to him and told him that he was not allowed to play such music in church. That that was not Christian, and was music from Satan. So this musically gifted little kid took his creativity outside of the church. He was not sure how to reconcile what he believed was a talent and gift from God, and the inability to express it in the church.
I’m sure this story is repeated lots of times. I wonder if this scenario forces many to take residence up outside of the often stifling structures of the church.
