QUESTION:
We are planning a “contemporary” service at our church for February 2009. When trying to reach unchurched people with a new service, is it better to give it a different name (e.g., “Lifestream” or “Gathering”) or to just call it “Contemporary Service?” Which would be better marketing for reaching unchurched people?
-Roger :: Oklahoma

ANSWER:
There is no black and white answer.

During the past two decades, it has been popular for churches to avoid bad naming stigmas by not using common and traditional church names that are likely to have hurt or offended people over the years. So many churches replaced denominational affiliations with new, more friendly and “safe” words like community, crossroads, harvest, life, and grace. And as the number of Harvest Community Churches and Crossroads Christian Centers multiplied, there has even been a new surge of fresh names in recent years such as H20 Church and Elevation Church and even some uber-churchy yet cool names such as Kaleo Church and Ecclesia.

Also in recent years, it has become popular for churches to change their terminology to be less churchy and more understandable and “safe” to the unchurched. While there is validity in the pursuit of avoiding words such as apostolic, exegesis, hermeneutics, and liturgy, I think within the context of most churches it is going too far to avoid using words such as service and Sunday school.

To determine what terminology is right for your church, look at your church culture (your brand) and the culture of the people you are trying to reach.

Bias & Stigmas

Overall, I do not think it matters much whether you choose to use the word service, gathering, experience, or lifestream.

• Faithful churchgoers probably care the most because they are more likely to have a dogmatic preference and a dislike for anything but their preference.
• Previously churched people may like the word service if they have fond memories of church, or they may hate the word service if they had a negative experience. Either way, their bias hardwires a preference into their minds.
• True unchurched people, who are completely unfamiliar with church, care the least about terminology. As long as it makes sense and is not too bizarre, true unchurched are likely to be the most accepting of any term.

Marketing Pizzazz

A word like service is a little bland, but it is well known, accepted, and universally understood. Gathering and experience add some trendiness but can also leave some cultures scratching their heads. Lifestream’s primary disadvantage is it requires new people to be educated about what it is. And since a church cannot possibly at every touch point to educate people about lifestream, it is guaranteed to cause confusion, particularly in a growing church.

Cathedrals vs. Contemporary Church

Recently, LifeWay Research discovered that unchurched people prefer cathedral architecture more than contemporary church designs. Why? One respondent stated:

I don’t like modern churches, they seem cold. I like the smell of candles burning, stained-glass windows, [and] an intimacy that’s transcendent.

While architecture is certainly not language, I do think the research offers insights into the unchurched’s preference for warm, intimate places of worship. With that in mind, I would recommend using the word gathering or service.

But ultimately, each church reaches a unique cultural mix. Study yours. Pray about it. And determine which word will be most appealing.

For Discussion:
- What word for “church service” do you think most appeals to the unchurched and why?
- What are some words that other cultures prefer?

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