Tomorrow's Ad May Raise Eyebrows!

"Hell No!"

Tomorrow, we run an ad in the Powhatan Today and the Midlothian Exchange to promote the series we start next Sunday (see the headline on this blog for a hint). It's a series about heaven and hell, what happens when we die, and how you get to either one. This is on a lot of people's minds, given the new best selling book written by a very popular pastor (Love Wins, by Rob Bell) who was on the cover of Time Magazine's April 25 issue. (By the way, the series is not based on his book, but the timing was influenced by it.)

The ad that runs tomorrow may seem a little...provocative. I'm sure that there is a person or two who will think it inappropriate. There is a method to this kind of advertising, though. The first goal is to grab the readers attention and have them read the rest of the ad. The second goal is to have them be intrigued enough by the rest of the information that they will come to the event, buy the product, or otherwise try out what you are advertising. For the record, I was part of the design team on this ad, and I approved it with great excitement.

Last Sunday's message is a good common ground for us. (You can see it by clicking here) Our mission is to reach people who do NOT go to church. Those folks are very interested in the topic we're addressing in this series, but they are NOT interested in the same ol' churchy hell-fire-and damnation sermons. We needed to communicate that this would be different. These ads will do that.

So, I just thought I'd get in front of the eyebrows on this one. At PCC, people are coming to know Jesus. We'll do whatever it takes to reach them.

See you Sunday.

Brian