02 December 2008

I was watching my current favorite show last night (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) when I saw the new advertising campaign called "Whopper Virgins." Apparently Burger King is taking Whoppers and Big Macs to small rural areas in Thailand, Romania and Greenland. Once there they will conduct taste tests with people who have never had these sandwiches before. In fact, they don't even have a word for "burger" in their languages.

So it got me thinking...

First, why would you introduce fast food to cultures that haven't already been infected with such unhealthy food choices (just joking...please don't sue me...I'm not wealthy like Oprah.)

Secondly (and more seriously), it made me think about my job, the communications department and how our message is being received by the unchurched - or better said:

How are we being perceived by ministry virgins?

When the unchurched visit our church, our website or receive print pieces in the mail, are we actively working to ensure the message being received is:

• Accessible? Are we presenting content that is easy to find, precise and as straight forward as possible?
• Understandable? People may not understand words like "justified" and "sanctified." Are we using verbiage that people can understand and connect with?
• Relevant? Are we talking to people where they find themselves? In other words, are we too busy talking about what heaven will be like and not offering hope in a failing economy? Are we busy debating the hottest theological topics or helping people on the brink of divorce?

The first step in having kingdom impact just might be knowing your whopper virgins...