Comments on: Should the church do telemarketing? http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/ equipping, educating, inspiring, and amusing God's servants Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:56:55 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: David http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-2903 David Thu, 22 May 2008 15:40:23 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-2903 I agree that the telephone is a medium that God can use. The recording seems to be a unintrusive as possible from how it was described. The listener gets the chance to hear that it is a call from a new church that is offering it's website if they would like it. Very brief and to the point, not seeming secretive at all. I also agree that most gains from this would realistically come from current church goers. The holy spirit could stir at anytime to get someone who hadn't been at church in a while to go back to church though, or many other possible scenarios. Telemarketing is a very sad area for the church in my experience. I've called churches for the past year and a half with no other intention or objective than to ask the vision for the future regarding major capital projects. In the process I've been dehumanized, scorned, yelled at and you can throw in any demeaning adjective you can think of by pastors, layman, secretaries and the like. No particular denomination or church has stood out. But, turning this telemarketing conversation around and looking at the vice versa of a telemarketer calling a church- there is a huge responsibility for ministry and all those involved to show the loving, compassionate, merciful, tender heart of God to each person. Jesus may have eaten at the telemarketers house in modern times. Just throwing in my 2 cents, Lord bless you all, sorry about posting so late after the blog was written! I agree that the telephone is a medium that God can use. The recording seems to be a unintrusive as possible from how it was described. The listener gets the chance to hear that it is a call from a new church that is offering it’s website if they would like it. Very brief and to the point, not seeming secretive at all.

I also agree that most gains from this would realistically come from current church goers. The holy spirit could stir at anytime to get someone who hadn’t been at church in a while to go back to church though, or many other possible scenarios.

Telemarketing is a very sad area for the church in my experience. I’ve called churches for the past year and a half with no other intention or objective than to ask the vision for the future regarding major capital projects. In the process I’ve been dehumanized, scorned, yelled at and you can throw in any demeaning adjective you can think of by pastors, layman, secretaries and the like. No particular denomination or church has stood out. But, turning this telemarketing conversation around and looking at the vice versa of a telemarketer calling a church- there is a huge responsibility for ministry and all those involved to show the loving, compassionate, merciful, tender heart of God to each person. Jesus may have eaten at the telemarketers house in modern times.

Just throwing in my 2 cents, Lord bless you all, sorry about posting so late after the blog was written!

]]> By: jeff http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-1747 jeff Fri, 28 Mar 2008 02:08:23 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-1747 Jim...agree with you that God can use any medium He so chooses. Still not sure if we should choose this one. Regarding God speaking through an ass, well, lets just say I count on that every week. Jim…agree with you that God can use any medium He so chooses. Still not sure if we should choose this one. Regarding God speaking through an ass, well, lets just say I count on that every week.

]]> By: Jim Stoke http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-1746 Jim Stoke Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:51:39 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-1746 I tend to disagree, however you may not appreciate it's a medium God can use to reach people, sometimes we put God in the box of what He can use to reach people, don't forget He did make an ass speak! I tend to disagree, however you may not appreciate it’s a medium God can use to reach people, sometimes we put God in the box of what He can use to reach people, don’t forget He did make an ass speak!

]]> By: jeff http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-1357 jeff Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:03:39 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-1357 Thanks for reading, Sadie. The incarnational piece is a good point. Hope you are dodging raindrops in Seattle okay. Of course you can read it. In fact, please tell every pastor you know about it!! Thanks for reading, Sadie. The incarnational piece is a good point. Hope you are dodging raindrops in Seattle okay.

Of course you can read it. In fact, please tell every pastor you know about it!!

]]> By: Sadie http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-1350 Sadie Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:30:22 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-1350 Hey Jeff! I hope its alright that I'm reading this! :) I definitely share in your response. Over and over again this year I have been learning about the importance of incarnational ministry. Building relationships and sharing in joys, sadness, needs and just plain life seems to be so close to God's heart. I think that a recorded message that sends people to a website to learn about Jesus, while good intentioned, is rather sad. It completely takes our relationship and connection with people out of it. And as Christians, the light and salt of the world, the body of Christ, I really think we need to represent the Lord's love for the people around us to the best of our ability... with all of the strength we can possibly draw from Him. So making a website and recording a message, though they are well intentioned and most likely do indeed present the message of the gospel, don't seem to truly live out or represent the it at all. Hey Jeff! I hope its alright that I’m reading this! :)
I definitely share in your response.
Over and over again this year I have been learning about the importance of incarnational ministry. Building relationships and sharing in joys, sadness, needs and just plain life seems to be so close to God’s heart. I think that a recorded message that sends people to a website to learn about Jesus, while good intentioned, is rather sad. It completely takes our relationship and connection with people out of it. And as Christians, the light and salt of the world, the body of Christ, I really think we need to represent the Lord’s love for the people around us to the best of our ability… with all of the strength we can possibly draw from Him. So making a website and recording a message, though they are well intentioned and most likely do indeed present the message of the gospel, don’t seem to truly live out or represent the it at all.

]]> By: jeff http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-1277 jeff Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:48:17 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-1277 Jim - Your information was very well thought out and informative. Thanks for the addition. Shawn - Thanks for sharing the results the churches you are aware of had. Another issue I had with this is that they do not discriminate between people who do not know the Lord vs those who attend other churches. I would think that the only people who might respond would be Christians. Now, I realize it would impossible to target only non church goers in this kind of set up, but any positive result would probably come from other churches. Jim – Your information was very well thought out and informative. Thanks for the addition.

Shawn – Thanks for sharing the results the churches you are aware of had.

Another issue I had with this is that they do not discriminate between people who do not know the Lord vs those who attend other churches. I would think that the only people who might respond would be Christians. Now, I realize it would impossible to target only non church goers in this kind of set up, but any positive result would probably come from other churches.

]]> By: Shawn Coons http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-1274 Shawn Coons Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:33:29 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-1274 I've known at least two churches that have done this and their results were horrid. Neither one knew of anyone that actually came because of the phone calls. I’ve known at least two churches that have done this and their results were horrid. Neither one knew of anyone that actually came because of the phone calls.

]]> By: Jim Beouy http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-1272 Jim Beouy Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:38:25 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-1272 I meant to say that the amount of employment in the channel could not exist without legitimate business support. In case it’s of any value, there are at least two studies that have concluded that consumes perceive a call from a church or a charity quite differently than an call for commercial purposes. God Bless you and your congregation. I meant to say that the amount of employment in the channel could not exist without legitimate business support. In case it’s of any value, there are at least two studies that have concluded that consumes perceive a call from a church or a charity quite differently than an call for commercial purposes.

God Bless you and your congregation.

]]> By: Jim Beouy http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/comment-page-1/#comment-1271 Jim Beouy Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:32:23 +0000 http://www.smartpastor.com/should-the-church-do-telemarketing/#comment-1271 Unfortunately the "Do-Not-Call" laws are yet another example of how politicians bend the truth to make themselves appear more effective. A handful of states have more accurately labeled them “No sales solicitation” laws. Both the intention and spirit of the law is (if the truth be known) about prohibiting un-requested sales solicitation. Congress and the states have recognized the number of people employed in the industry, the value to the economy, certain constitutional protections, and the legitimate need to do business by phone. Many states have at least 25 exemptions from the requirement to suppress numbers on the Do-not-call list. There are more people employed in telemarketing than there are school teachers and truck drivers! And yet, the press releases by vote hounding chest thumpers has given the impression that upstanding businesses don’t use telemarketing. The fact is, that this massive amount of employment could exist without widespread acceptance by legitimate businesses and charities. Virtually all of the major charities rely upon telephone based appeals (in one way or another) to support their need for research and program funding. Quite a number of churches reach out to members by phone to promote their church calendar and other fundraising initiatives. Churches are specifically exempted from the requirement based on the first amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” Reaching out to community neighbors by telephone to build attendance, promote bible school, announce growth or outreach missions, or whatever role you deem of importance, really isn’t “telemarketing” according to the law or the common perception. Even though the church is specifically exempt, it’s always best to build in a way to honor the wishes of this who prefer not to be called again. That means having a way to logging the phone number and storing it on your own “do-not-call” list to suppress against any future campaign. Unfortunately the “Do-Not-Call” laws are yet another example of how politicians bend the truth to make themselves appear more effective. A handful of states have more accurately labeled them “No sales solicitation” laws. Both the intention and spirit of the law is (if the truth be known) about prohibiting un-requested sales solicitation.

Congress and the states have recognized the number of people employed in the industry, the value to the economy, certain constitutional protections, and the legitimate need to do business by phone. Many states have at least 25 exemptions from the requirement to suppress numbers on the Do-not-call list.

There are more people employed in telemarketing than there are school teachers and truck drivers! And yet, the press releases by vote hounding chest thumpers has given the impression that upstanding businesses don’t use telemarketing. The fact is, that this massive amount of employment could exist without widespread acceptance by legitimate businesses and charities.

Virtually all of the major charities rely upon telephone based appeals (in one way or another) to support their need for research and program funding. Quite a number of churches reach out to members by phone to promote their church calendar and other fundraising initiatives. Churches are specifically exempted from the requirement based on the first amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…”

Reaching out to community neighbors by telephone to build attendance, promote bible school, announce growth or outreach missions, or whatever role you deem of importance, really isn’t “telemarketing” according to the law or the common perception. Even though the church is specifically exempt, it’s always best to build in a way to honor the wishes of this who prefer not to be called again. That means having a way to logging the phone number and storing it on your own “do-not-call” list to suppress against any future campaign.

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