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Preachers & Billboards
Why Next Level Ministry Has Absolutly Nothing To Do With You
Pimp Preacher.com New Orleans Bureau 11/03/2011
I am now getting to the point whereas I never want to hear another preacher say “we need to get this church to the next level.” This term “next level” is truly an unknown tongue for many of the pew sitters, being that many of us are so strapped with bills that we can’t even see the steps that lead to the next level. So for the sake of clarity please allow me to interpret what the Pastor is really saying when he starts talking about the next level, “I need you to make me rich.”
The Pastor’s “Next Level” is like the boyfriend who never intended to marry the young lady, but use her up by playing on her hopes and dreams. The only person who ever benefits from a Church reaching this lucrative next level is the pastor, his family, and his hand-picked staff.
The next level almost always equates to another building fund, another family life center, and unfortunately his face plastered on a billboard.
How many times have you driven by an advertisement billboard that featured a local preacher and his wife for their upcoming revival? Have you ever wondered why so many preachers are now saturating the skyline of their communities with paid advertising such as large transit billboards? Like many of you, I have gone about my day totally oblivious to all of the preacher advertisements, up until now.
How much does it really cost to be on one of these billboards? How much help and assistance could the money appropriated for Pastor Promotion benefit members of the congregation? To answer this question I contacted one of the leading outdoor advertising firms in order to get a quote and the numbers were shocking to say the least. With so many church members facing financial foreclosures, one would think that a billboard advertising the pastor and his new wife would be the last item on the list of priorities, but that is not case in this day and age of Glam Preachers.
I remember seeing Bishop Paul S. Morton on a billboard as early as 1994, his face and ministry appeared to be everywhere. The moment he launched the Full Gospel Conferences almost simultaneously every billboard across the city featured him and Debra Morton in some grandiose layout. I realized very quickly that all of this advertising was not only very expensive, but the members of Greater St. Stephens Full Gospel Baptist Church would have to pick up the tab.
Peeing On My Fence
If you think for one moment that the billboard you drive by every day is simply innocent advertising used in an attempt to win souls to Christ then you are suffering from an extreme case of naivety. In the same manner as a dog marks his territory by urinating around the surrounding area, so too is your Pastor engaging in the same act of territorial marking.
With the use of outdoor advertisements Pastors are not only staking out their claim to an area, but also using this form of advertising in the worse sense of pretentious vanity. This form of marketing is designed to send a message to puppy-sized ministers that they better consider finding another location far away from this zip code because I am the “Big Dog” of this yard.
New Orleans became carved up and divided into sections with the use of advertising billboards. Like the Sooners of Oklahoma, Pastors raced to secure prime locations during the 1990’s.Today, no one seems to notice that the same pastor has occupied the same billboard for 18 consecutive months for his own good pleasure.
Cornelius “CJ” Jackson & Patricia Davis authors of Zombies in the Church, commented that this form of advertising is not an investment to promote Christianity, but rather to promote themselves.
“I’m not sure if you’ve noticed that the actual billboards never feature the members or the church feeding a homeless person, only the pastor and his family adorn these billboards. It’s nothing more than arrogance and self-promotion at its worst. “
CJ went on to say that in the Birmingham area it’s not as prevalent as it is in Atlanta, but for an average size city they still have their share of outdoor preacher promotions.
Isn’t She Lovely? Isn’t She Wonderful? Isn’t She Pretty?
This trend of the Pastor and his wife on a billboard has really gotten out of control. I am still not sure of the true purpose of the two of them posted there as if they’re taking a picture for the prom, but just about every sign in my city now features the Pastor’s wife or shall I say The First Lady.
We are still within our investigation of the true meaning of this position of First Lady, but in the meantime, more and more preacher wives are now appearing in every form of church marketing. We have now witnessed the role of the preacher’s wife go from obscurity to “in your face” notoriety as she is now positioned above his right shoulder on just about every billboard photo.
The role of First Lady has taken on a life of its own, which would explain why there’s a group of women within the church whose only desire is to marry a so-call “Man of God.” Other than a Politian or the President of the United States, I cannot think of any other type of relationship that would require the wife featured. Please explain the need to feature the wife on the billboard? I Have Concluded, that her true role should be HR Manager (or shall I say Hoe Repellent Manager) instead of First Lady. At least in this role she can make a focused effort to block the preacher loving groupies from her husband. Just a thought?
The first Lady has become the Next Top Supermodel as she is presented to us in full color on a 14 x 30 Lamar Sign. Other than being his wife, the only real requirement is that she has bright skin (if she’s African American), wear ultra conservative suit, skinny (regardless of race), and very easy on the eyes. The Co-Pastor featured in these expensive billboards are also Co-Conspirators in the fleecing of the Body of Christ, now let’s count up the real cost.
The Cost Of My Face
Depending on the size, location and duration of the billboard the cost can be anywhere from $700 - $7500 per month. I called Lamar Outdoor Advertising to get a quote for my own business and I was amazed at the cost.
I decided to get a quote for the same type of billboard space rented by Household of Faith Church located in Harvey Louisiana (Antoine M. Barriere is the senior pastor of the Household of Faith Family Worship Church International). On this Billboard you will find the Pastor and his entire family with the caption “Pray 2ogether stay 2ogether.” The cost for this billboard was estimated at around $7100 for 3 months due to the high traffic location, and the duration of the ad.
The money to cover the cost of these ads is always passed on to the members of the congregation. Very seldom will the Pastor absorb the cost out of his personal salary. The cost to promote the Pastor and his family, as in the case of Antoine Barriere, is squeezed out of the pockets of the members in envelopes marked tithes and offerings.
With the high crime rate in New Orleans, and failing schools, we can think of at least 7100 other more notable causes to spend the $7100 donated to the church by average working class families. Unfortunately Pastor Barriere can find only one, the self-promotion of his entire family. How many light bills, tuitions, car notes, prescriptions, DMV reinstatements, mortgage payments, and hospital bills could have been paid with the money that Pastor Barriere is wasting on this billboard on Manhattan Blvd in Harvey LA?
Actual Rate Card from Lamar Outdoor Advertising
If You Give It! They Will Come!
Jesus Christ never had to advertise, his signs and wonders were sufficient enough to convince his followers that he was the real deal. People who encountered Christ came away from the experience changed, healed, nourished, enlightened, and ultimately saved. As Pastor there is no need to plaster your face across an entire city, simply allow your good works to do all of your promotion.
I have come to realize that the heart of a ministry will attract that segment of the population. In other words, if your ministry was focused on feeding hungry families then God would make sure that you never run out of hungry families to feed because he can trust you. If you church growth strategy is based on your advertising budget, then it tells me that your ministry is truly heartless, and God can’t trust that you will provide the resources for those in need.
Once again we have this “Church Thing” all wrong, and we need to redefine it. The purpose of the church is to teach giving by giving, to teach love by loving, and to teach Christ by doing something that Christ did while on earth. People were attracted to Christ because he was a giver, not a skilled marketer, but he gave! Instead of paying Lamar Outdoor Advertising to promote your brand how about you first copy a brand that has already proven successful. Giving!!!!!!!!!!!
Act 2:43-47
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; Acts 4.32-35
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Mt. 19.21 • Mk. 10.21 • Lk. 12.33 ; 18.22
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
By: A Black Man From New Orleans
Church Folk Revolution
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