While having a conversation the other day, I was asked the question, “Is a marketer successful if their efforts don’t result in sales?” “No,” I answered instantly, startling myself with my certainty. I gathered my thoughts and explained how the purpose of a business is to make money, and if a business isn’t selling, they aren’t making money, and they are out of business. The marketer ceases to be. And then I realized that analogy is somewhat applicable to our lives and how we share the Gospel. Except, God is the business in the analogy and the purpose of the “business” is to bring glory to God. If we really care about and love God, then we’ll talk about God, show Him to the world around us. We will be marketing God, but not to keep our jobs. We will find ways to be Jesus to the world, because our love will compel us to do so.

marketing God through the noise

Marketing God in a continuously growing din is anything but easy. Everyday, there are more companies, causes, people, things clamoring for our attention. Everyday, we have to become more selective in what we choose to pay attention; we are forced to cultivate our ability to separate wheat from the chaff. And this is everyone. How do we, as messengers of the Good News, cut through this noise? Quite simply, marketing God, the way to cut through the noise, is about loving people. Genuine love and care. There is nothing sharper, and there is no law against such things (to reference Paul).

marketing God is our occupation

Marketing God is what we do 24/7. Whether we think we are or not, everything we do or say affects others’ opinions of the God we claim to love and follow. How are we promoting Him today? Do we give our all at work? Do we sacrifice in relationships? Are we caring for people’s basic needs around us? This is positive and effective marketing; this is marketing God well. This is where I would say my performance review would reflect a need for improvement.

Marketing God isn’t about performance, but we do need to remember it is what we are doing every waking moment. Whether we are conscious of it or not, disciple is our true occupation on this earth. Those who know us will measure our Rabbi by His followers. Your 9–5 is not what defines you, it is God, it is your faith. Let us not lose sight of that fact. We are children of the God of love. We are disciples of the God of grace. So let’s act like it.