John 4; 43-54

 

As I browsed the internet, I came across an article in the newsletter for the Pennsylvania Senior Center of Fayette County, PA.* It was titled, “Learn the ABC’s of Marketing.” In the article it spoke to the effectiveness of advertising techniques used to promote businesses or nonprofit agencies. As I reflected on the excessive amount of dollars spent on selling an idea or product to the public, I couldn’t help thinking about a poor obscure carpenter from a small village in the Middle East.

 

I wondered to myself, how was it that Jesus, who had never been photographed, was able to market him self and his teachings becoming the most recognized face in the world? Or how is it that his name, which is acknowledged by millions as being above every name, is whispered sacredly in prayer two thousand years after his death?

 

Jesus didn’t need ad specialty products such as refrigerator magnets, tee shirts, pencils, pens, post-it notepads or billboards to promote his ideology. Nor did he need to be interviewed on the late night talk shows or have his words plastered on bumper stickers.

 

So how did Jesus promote his message? What forms of marketing did he subscribe too?

 

Jesus first of all was an expert at ‘networking’ which is the marketer’s way of telling us to become more interconnected with our community. Jesus was out mingling with his public everyday. He knew that primitive lesson that quality outshines quantity.

 

Jesus’ grassroots marketing reflected commitment and motivation. He took advantage of, ‘mobility and opportunism’ making do with the supplies he had on hand. For example, when the crowd gathered on the mount and he used the loves and fishes to feed the 5,000 gathered for this unplanned rally.

 

Jesus was able to succeed in getting unsolicited testimonials from several of his recipients. Unlike today’s businesses, Jesus did not ask the person offering the praise for permission to share their comments but rather asked that they tell no one about what had taken place. (Was Jesus an expert in psychology as well?)

 

And lastly, let me just say, that, according to the above article, “word of mouth advertising has long been called the best kind of advertising. Word of mouth advertising is perhaps the most difficult aspect of public relations and marketing to measure and manage, yet it can also be the most effective tool in sharing your message. Remember, generally satisfied individuals tell three/four of their friends and relatives of their satisfaction. The best promotional campaign in the world cannot overcome negative words.”

 

In today’s reading, the royal officer was Jesus’ word of mouth advertising. He was not a likely customer nor a believer in the product Jesus had to sell until he experienced a free sample for himself. He then shared his new found faith in the product and he and his family became believers.

 

Lastly, Jesus had zeal, “as Webster’s Dictionary defines it, zeal is “enthusiastic, diligent devotion in pursuit of a cause, ideal, or goal.” This is exactly the right spirit to bring to grassroots marketing.” Jesus spread his message of the Father’s love with zeal, and has become the ultimate marketing dream, still able to promote his product well into its second millennium.

 

So, what does all this have to do with our relationship with Jesus? We might ask ourselves, how do we fit into his ‘marketing plan’? Are we part of his network? Do we continue the grassroots movement by sharing our faith with our family and friends? Are we committed and motivated? Do we speak about Jesus and his love with zeal and enthusiasm and most of all, do we spread the good news by word of mouth? If we can say yes to all of these, then we can be assured that we are continuing to make Jesus a ‘marketing dream’ for the next millennium.

 

 

*Compiled by Fayette County Community Action Agency, Inc. 2003

140 North Beeson Ave., Uniontown, Pennsylvania 15401