Sep 24, 2008
The Data At Hand
Seth Godin had a great blog post yesterday about how people make decisions based on their worldview and the data at hand. The post was written from a marketing perspective, but the concept that he talks about goes way beyond just marketing. It matters to the Church. It should matter to me as a follower of Christ.
Seth says this……
Changing worldviews is very difficult and requires quite a bit of will. Changing the data at hand is a lot easier, and that’s where marketing can really help. If you, as a marketer, can package data in a way that people with a certain worldview can accept, you move the conversation forward far more quickly than if you merely dismiss the non-customers or the doubters as stupid……………The easiest way to grow is to sell to people who share a worldview that endorses your position. The most effective way to grow bigger than that is to inform those that disagree with your position–more data in a palatable form. And, unfortunately, it turns out that the best way to change the world is to open the closed-minded.
In Matthew 28:16-20, The Great Commission, Jesus instructs us to go and make disciples of all nations. But like Seth points out, changing someone’s worldview, or the way they see the world, is very difficult. In fact, I would argue that the only person that can change a person’s worldview is that person. However, we can change the data at hand. When it comes to the Church, Christianity, the message of The Gospel, we are the data. You are the data. I am the data. So the question becomes, “Am I a good piece of data?”
When I don’t love, when I fail to forgive, when I serve myself instead of others, when I don’t give, when I am not humble, when I don’t have compassion, then I am not being a good piece of data. I am not being an accurate reflection of Christ.
When I do love, when I forgive, when I serve others, when I give, when I am humble, when I have compassion, then I am accurately reflecting the qualities of the God I serve. I am data in a palatable form and then, and only then, we can move the conversation forward.
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Very smart, very true. Presenting Data in ways people can understand, make a decision and take action. Love how this sounds like usability in design. You know who does a great job of presenting marketing and experience data for Church Pastors and leaders is Richard L. Reising in his book Church Marketing 101 http://www.churchmarketing101.com/
Highly recommend. It really covers the basics but I believe has the potential to mobilize and change the way churches do church – because the data is understandable.
Good stuff man.